Purdue University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. Egg Production in the Us Is Changing From Caged to Cage-free Production, With Retailers and Food Service Companies Making a Commitment to Use Only Cage-free Eggs. This Requires That 72% of Laying Hens Are Raised in Cage-free Housing by 2025. However, There Are Many Different Cage-free Designs as and How Hens Perceive and Perform in These Different Designs Is Unknown. as More Hens Are Being Housed in Cage-free Housing Systems, It Is Important to Design Systems Based on HENS' Perceptions and Needs, Rather Than on Human Perceptions. This Project Aims to Understand How Hens See the Environment So That New Cage-free Housing Can Be Created That Positively Impacts Hen Behavior, Productivity and Welfare, and Food Safety. This Project Will 1) Collect Information on the Laying HENS' Eyes, Physiology, Behavior and Welfare in Two Cage-free Housing Systems; 2) Develop Models to Estimate How Hens See Their Environment; 3) Develop Agent Based Models (ABM) for Testing Virtual Cage-free Housing Systems; and 4) Build and Validate the Virtual Cage-free System in Real Life. This Approach Will Facilitate the Design of a Housing System Better Suited to the Laying Hen by Reducing Unwanted Behaviors and Improving Hen Welfare. Egg Producers Will Be Able to Understand HENS' Perceptions and Use of the Cage-free Environment, Guiding PRODUCERS' Decision-making Regarding Hen Housing and Management. Additionally, Housing Manufacturers Will Have a New Approach That Could Be Used to Design Future Cage-free Housing Systems.