Windows boost poultry welfare
Windows are being put into broiler houses supplying the
Speaking at a recent
They were more active, moved around the house more and made more use of their legs, with obvious benefits to leg health.
“It gives them something positive to do and they are better for it,” he said.
But soon after the houses were first commissioned, farm managers discovered that flocks in windowed houses within range of vehicle headlights ran the risk of the occasional disturbed night.
Moonlight, starlight and security lights were not a problem, but the beam from a passing vehicle could give rise to a mass migration from one end of the house to the other as the headlights lit up the roof of the building.
“Once we discovered the cause, it was just a matter of fitting shutters to keep out the unwanted light,” Mr Ballantyne explained.