6 cage-free common pitfalls and how to avoid them

Cage-free egg farming is difficult even for veteran farmers. Learn from others mistakes to make the transition smoother. | Austin Alonzo

Cage-free egg specialists describe the six most common mistakes they see on farms and provide tips on how to avoid them.

Despite the best education and preparation, the cage-free transition is a complex and challenging processes even for veteran egg farmers. Husbandry experts were asked about what errors they’ve seen most often in the field, and steps farmers can take to ensure they don’t make the same mistakes.

1. Improper pullet rearing        

The experts agreed the biggest potential pitfall is raising pullets in an environment that does not look exactly like where the hens will spend their adult lives. Potters Poultry said closely matching the two settings can lower the stress of the move and help avoid any delay in the onset of egg production.

Another mistake in pullet rearing can take place shortly after releasing pullets into the litter area. Dr. Anna Concollato, of FACCO’s poultry science technology department, said allowing pullets to try and roost in the system by themselves, without picking them up and placing them in the system, can hamper their ability to learn how to move up into the system and roost. In the days after releasing the pullets, they must be physically placed in the system to learn how to move into the system.

2. Mismanagement of mislaid eggs

Another misstep is not properly managing the flock to prevent mislaid eggs. If a flock is consistently mislaying eggs throughout its lifecycle, Potters said, the profitability of the operation will be significantly reduced. Regular walking of the house, removal of mislaid eggs and proper light management can help avoid this problem.

Concollato added that farmers shouldn’t collect mislaid and floor eggs only once a day. Instead, inspection for mislaid eggs should take place multiple times a day early in the laying cycle to establish positive behavior in the flock.

3. Not doing the homework

Dr. Nestor Adriatico, director of technical services for Hendrix Genetics, said some farmers are picking a breed of bird that isn’t primed for success in a cage-free environment, which can lead to more mislaid eggs, aggressive behavior and higher flock mortality. He said these errors can be avoided by working with a breeding company, and possibly conducting additional research, to figure out which breed will do best in the cage-free environment. 

Salmet said farmers and their staff need to remember that cage-free requires a new mindset, and they should not expect to be able to manage a cage-free house the same way as a conventional operation. If farmers are still considering which equipment to purchase, they shouldn’t pass up the chance to work with a company that offers additional management training with experience starting up cage-free operations.

4. Overpopulating the house

Bill Snow, Big Dutchman’s aviary system specialist for the U.S. and Canada, said a major error is expecting to fit a similar number of birds into a cage-free house as a conventional house. Putting too many birds in a house leads to challenges for workers – like tighter aisles and tougher working conditions – and lower animal welfare as well as comparatively lower productivity. Farmers need to place less birds in a cage-free house, and provide more space between aisles, in order to ensure the health of their birds, retention of their employees and the profitability of the operation. Luttels echoed that sentiment, adding that farmers need to resist the urge to think only with their wallet when making decisions about stocking and housing.

5. Not taking time to observe the birds

Dr. Jasper Heerkens, a poultry specialist for Jansen Poultry Equipment, said it’s easy for farmers to not take the time needed to observe the flock’s behavior and understand what’s going on inside the house when people aren’t around. When starting a new flock, or starting a new breed of bird, he recommended taking a chair, putting it in the middle of the scratch area and just sitting there for a while to see how the birds behave without human stimulus. This way, farmers can find out about a variety of factors affecting the flock including bird health, bird behavior and litter quality.

6. Not using an effective vaccination program

Salmet underscored the importance of a solid vaccination program in order to control disease and the spread of pathogens inside the layer house. Disease can spread much easier in a cage-free environment, and the risk can accumulate over time.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FIGURE IT OUT CAGE-FREE FARMING?

Even when armed with years of egg farming experience and advice on moving into cage-free, getting the hang of the operational change can take time. The experts said some farmers will figure it out after working through the first flocks, and some will take as many as four flocks to really master the transition.

Salmet offered the most urgent assessment, saying the margin for error is small. The birds must be performing immediately after entering the layer house, so the farmer will need to have things figured out within a few weeks or, at worst, after the first flock.

Others said it will take at least one flock to gain enough experience to really understand cage-free farming. Adriatico said it will likely take three to four flocks before a farmer truly figures out cage-free farming in their own facilities.

Heerkins said the speed with which a farmer can understand and master cage-free farming depends on the individual’s access and attention to relevant information and willingness to put it into practice quickly. Those who are more resistant to change their management strategies will take longer to get into a groove.

“A farmer will potentially make several mistakes that he will learn from and avoid with his next flock,” Potters Poultry said. “However, every flock is different and continuous changes to genetics means that the next flock could behave entirely different! 

“A farmer will continue to learn every day for many years.  Regularly monitoring bodyweight, uniformity, feed and water intake as well as egg production and weight, will provide the farmer with a guide by which he can react accordingly.”

Egg Industry’s cage-free management series

The U.S. egg industry is rapidly shifting to cage-free husbandry, and Egg Industry wants to help farmers gain essential bird management skills in order to ease the transition from caged to cage-free operations.

Since January, WATT Global Media has interviewed and surveyed members and allies of the global egg industry to formulate a basic set of best practices for cage-free flock management. This final installment focuses on common mistakes and how to avoid them.

This story was written with input from the following companies: Big Dutchman Inc., Hendrix Genetics BV, Jansen Poultry Equipment, Officine FACCO & C. Spa, Potter’s Poultry International, SALMET International GmbH, and Volito BV – now part of Chore-Time parent CTB Inc., Valco Companies Inc. and Northeast Agri Systems Inc.