Locomotive behaviour of hens and cocks (Gallus gallus f. dom.) - Implication for housing systems

The locomotive activity - that is the distance moved per day - of 8 hens an d 2 cocks in aviary systems with and without free-range was directly observ ed and recorded. The investigation was carried out on two farms without Fre e range with two groups each and group sizes of 2000 animals and on one far m with Free-range and 650 animals per group. The hens in the aviaries witho ut Free-range moved between 340 m and 634 m per day. The cocks moved larger distances (795 m - 1445 m). The hens moved longer distances in connection with food-intake (13 - 31 %) than the cocks (1.3 - 13.7 %). The hens in the aviary with free-range moved distances of 1800 m and 2500 m per day. The i nvestigation shows, that hens and cocks show an extensive locomotive behavi our if they have the possibility to do so.