Free-range broiler chicken behavioural time budgets: Inside and outside of the shed

The demand for free-range chicken meat in Australia is increasing. Free-range products are usually perceived as more welfare friendly by consumers (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2011) and particularly fulfill the belief that the ability to perform natural behaviour leads to better welfare. However, there is a lack of scientific knowledge relative to the use of the outdoor range by broilers and its implications, advantages or disadvantages, in terms of bird behaviour and welfare. Therefore this study investigated behavioural time budgets of broiler chickens on two Australian commercial farms. Behaviour was monitored inside the shed and in four range areas, differing in resource availability (tree, shade cloth or no resource present) and distance from the shed (adjacent to the shed wall or 7.5m from the shed). Results indicated that distance is a deterrent for range use, as few broiler chickens were seen in areas 7.5m from the shed. Furthermore, behavioural time budgets differed between broiler chickens observed in the shed compared to those in the range; there was more active, exploratory and vigilant behaviours seen in the range and more resting and comfort behaviors observed in the shed. However the implications of such behavioural differences remain unknown.