Evaluating the effects of stocking density on the behavior, health, and welfare of turkey hens to 11 weeks of age

Nicholas Select hens (n = 3,550 poults in each of 2 experimental trials) were randomly placed in 1 of 4 stocking density (SD) treatments of 30, 40, 50, or 60 kg/m2 until 11 wk. Birds were housed in open rooms (67.5 m2) with 4 replications per treatment. Ventilation was adjusted in each room independently to ensure air quality measures did not differ across replicate rooms. At wk 8 and 11, footpad lesions, mobility, feather cover and cleanliness, behavior (recorded), and litter moisture were evaluated. Incidences of aggressive pecking were recorded daily. Heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratios were evaluated at 3, 5, 8, and 11 wk. Data were analyzed using regression analyses in SAS 9.4 (Proc Reg and Proc RSReg; SD as independent variable). Differences were considered significant when P ≤ 0.05. Gait scores were not affected by SD. Average footpad scores worsened with increasing SD at wk 8 (linear) but were not affected at wk 11. Total feather cover scores and average feather cleanliness were poorer at high SD (linear) at wk 8 and 11. The incidence of aggressive pecking and culls for aggressive damage decreased linearly as SD increased. At 5 (linear) and 11 (quadratic) wk, H/L ratios increased as SD increased. At 8 wk, H/L ratios were highest in the 40 kg/m2 treatment (quadratic). At 8 wk, the percentage of birds at the feeder, resting, and total disturbances linearly increased as SD increased. The percentage of birds standing, walking, and litter pecking decreased linearly with increasing SD, while total aggressive behaviors (sum of fighting and aggressive pecking) decreased (quadratic). At 11 wk, the percentage of birds at the drinker, and decreased with increasing SD while resting, feather pecking, and severe disturbances increased as SD increased. Litter moisture increased linearly with increasing SD (wk 11). Turkey hen health and welfare were negatively impacted by higher SD. At low SD, there was notably more aggression which may also impact welfare.