Effects of environmental enrichment, fluorescent and intermittent lighting on injurious pecking amongst male turkey poults

1. Under commercial and experimental conditions domestic turkeys often cause injuries to pen-mates by repeated pecking, sometimes fatally. Environmental enrichment or lighting manipulations might be used to mitigate such injurious pecking. 2. This study examined responses to 4 treatments (2 rooms/treatment) of 8 groups of 100, non-beak trimmed, non-desnooded, male domestic turkeys from 1 to 35 d of age. 3. Birds of 1 treatment were reared under conditions approximating to commercial rearing (12L:12D incandescent, Control) whereas the experimental treatments were 12L:12D incandescent plus supplemental ultraviolet radiation, straw supplementation of litter, pecking substrates and visual barriers (Enriched), 12L:12D fluorescent lighting (Fluorescent), and 2(2L:3D):2L:12D incandescent (Intermittent). 4. Compared to control birds, the incidence of injuries caused by wing or tail pecking were both lower in the Enriched but not significantly different in the Fluorescent or Intermittent. 5. Injuries caused by head pecking did not occur in the Enriched rooms but were observed in at least 1 of the rooms with Control, Fluorescent and Intermittent treatments. 6. Despite considerable environmental differences between treatments, there was remarkable consistency within each type of injurious pecking in age at which injuries were 1st recorded (wing pecking, 9.38+/-1.31 d; tail pecking, 20.43+/-2.42 d; head pecking, 27.8+/-2.13 d). The roles of feather emergence, hierarchy formation in wild turkey poults and appearance of feathers are discussed as possible explanations of these consistencies.     

Influence of environmental enrichment on injurious pecking and perching behaviour in young turkeys.

1. In order to reduce injurious pecking, the influence of environmental enrichment on pecking and perching behaviour was studied in young male and female turkeys. 2. Two different types of enrichment and a control treatment (TO) were tested: T1, metal objects and straw; T2, similar to T1 + wood perches. Birds were housed in 36 m2 pens at a light intensity of 5 lux with 4 replicates per treatment in a 2x3 factorial design. 3. Pecking at objects and perching behaviour were observed weekly. Behaviour was video recorded at weeks 5 and 10. Birds were examined daily for the occurrence of injuries. At the end of the rearing period, an ACTH challenge was performed and H/L ratio was measured. 4. Objects were regularly pecked at. Perching was more common in females, peaked at week 5 (10% to 13% of birds perched) and declined to 0% by week 10. Aggressive pecking was more frequently observed in males in T0 than in T1 or T2 at week 10. Wing (in males and females), tail and head (in males) injuries were more common in T0 than in T1 or T2. T1 and T2 were similar Response to ACTH challenge and H/L ratio were not consistently influenced by treatments. 5. It is concluded that metal objects and straw reduced injurious pecking in young female and male turkeys by redirecting, pecking activity.     

Analysis of risk factors for the occurrence of feather pecking in laying hen growers

1. Potential risk factors for the occurrence of feather pecking in laying hen growers raised under commercial conditions were investigated on Swiss farms with more than 500 rearing places. On-farm interviews were conducted on a sample of 64 flocks which represented 42.6% of all farms concerned. 2. All variables considered were dichotomised and their univariate correlation with the occurrence of feather pecking was tested for significance at P <0.20 using chi2 tests. Logistic regression with backward elimination was then used with the significant variables to identify the potentially most important factors influencing feather pecking. These variables included stocking density, light intensity, intensity of care, access to elevated perches, access to a roofed and littered outdoor area ('bad weather run'), time of access to the feeding facilities of the housing system, stocking density in the restricted area at the beginning of the rearing period, additional open feeding areas in the beginning and air quality. 3. The final model contained stocking density and access to elevated perches as significant factors (P<0.05). Flocks kept in high density (> or = 10 birds per m2) and with no access to elevated perches were 6.4 (95% Confidence interval 1.7 to 24.2) and 4.0 (95% Confidence interval 1.2 to 12.9) times more likely to be affected by feather pecking, respectively. 4. The study identified 2 risk factors for the occurrence of feather pecking in flocks of laying hen growers reared under commercial conditions. It is concluded that in order to reduce feather pecking chicks should be reared at low density and with access to elevated perches.     

Effects of pecking incentives during rearing on feather pecking of laying hens.

1. Additional straw or grain was supplied to hens during rearing in floor pens with litter floors. During lay, hens were housed in pens with partly-littered partly-slatted floors. The effects on foraging behaviour and feather pecking were studied and feather damage was scored at 17, 30 and 42 weeks of age. 2. Supply of grain in the litter during rearing caused an increase in ground scratching. Ground pecking also tended to increase. Supply of straw had no significant effect on the observed behaviours. 3. Feather damage in the laying period was significantly reduced by providing grain during rearing. A similar tendency was found for groups that received straw during rearing. On the basis of the behavioural observations it was concluded that this better plumage cover was caused by less feather pecking. 4. The frequency of pecking at food was decreased during rearing by the supply of grain. This could not be explained solely on the basis of a lower food intake. Apparently the efficiency of pecking at food had changed as well. Behavioural data from the laying period suggest that this change was of a more permanent character. 5. The incentive value of the ground and the substrate covering it might be increased by the supply of grain during the rearing period. This causes foraging-related behaviours like scratching and pecking to be directed to the ground. The hens' perception of incentive stimuli for pecking is apparently influenced by experience during rearing. 6. To prevent birds redirecting their ground pecks to the feathers of other birds, not only the peckability/scratchability of the ground seems to be important but also other aspects like nutritive value or taste.     

Effect of rearing factors on the prevalence of floor eggs, cloacal cannibalism and feather pecking in commercial flocks of loose housed laying hens.

1. Effects of rearing conditions on behavioural problems were investigated in a cohort study of commercial flocks of laying hens housed in 2 different loose housing systems. The sample population was 120 385 laying hens from 59 flocks of various hybrids at 21 different farms. 2. Logistic regression modelling was used to test the effects of selected factors on floor eggs, cloacal cannibalism and feather pecking. In addition to early access to perches or litter, models included hybrid, stocking density, group size, housing system, age at delivery, identical housing system at the rearing farm and at the production farm and, in models for floor eggs and cloacal cannibalism, nest area per hen. Odds ratios were calculated from the results of the models to allow risk assessment. 3. No significant correlations were found between the prevalence of floor eggs, cloacal cannibalism and feather pecking. 4. Access to perches from not later than the 4th week of age decreased the prevalence of floor eggs during the period from start-of-lay until 35 weeks of age, odds ratio 0-30 (P<0-001). Furthermore, early access to perches decreased the prevalence of cloacal cannibalism during the production period, odds ratio 0-46 (P=0.03). 5. No other factor had a significant effect in these models. Although it was not significant, early access to litter had a non-significant tendency to reduce the prevalence of feather pecking.     

Mussel shells as an environment enrichment and calcium source for floor-housed laying hens

Feather pecking is still a behavioral problem in laying hen flocks, resulting in impaired welfare and economic losses. Environment enrichment, e.g., providing access to litter, to increase foraging behavior in laying hens has been shown to decrease feather pecking. This study investigated the effect of spreading crushed mussel shells (particle size 10 to 20 mm) in the litter area as an environment enrichment and source of calcium for layers receiving a commercial feed and for layers given a feed with 40% less calcium. These treatments were compared with a control involving hens given the commercial feed, but no mussel shells in the litter. The study included 900 Dekalb White layers housed in a single-tier floor system during a production cycle (20 to 72 wk of age). The mussel shells were consumed to a lower extent than predicted, resulting in calcium deficiency in hens fed the low-calcium diet. This in turn was evident as increased degree of keel bone deviations and lower eggshell breaking strength. Daily addition of crushed mussel shells to the litter for laying hens on a balanced or calcium-deficient diets did not generate any positive effects on bird feather cover, eggshell quality, production performance, or fearfulness. Hence, with the particle size of mussel shells used in this study, there was no indication of improved welfare due to environment enrichment.     

Time-budgets,comfort behaviours and injurious pecking of turkeys housed in pairs

1. Large group size and high stocking density can compromise the welfare of poultry. This study, the first in a series of trials to determine the effect of these factors, examined the behaviour of turkeys under conditions in which group size and stocking density would have minimal influence, that is, when the birds were housed as pairs in pens measuring 3.0 3.6 m. 2. The 24 h time-budgets, frequency of comfort behaviours and incidence of injurious pecking were recorded on 12 occasions when the birds were between 4 and 22 weeks of age. 3. Over the duration of the study the proportion of time engaged in drinking or pecking other birds remained constant, but decreased for sleeping, environment pecking, wing-flapping, and running, increased for stretching, and varied throughout for feeding, standing, sitting, strutting, preening whilst standing, preening whilst sitting, and walking. 4. Some of the changes in activity were probably attributable to age effects per se. though other changes may have been related to increased musculo-skeletal weakness. 5. At 18 weeks of age, the turkeys spent a considerable proportion (30%) of time performing a sexual courtship display, strutting. Although the prevalence of this activity subsequently decreased, the likelihood of increased metabolic costs and potential for frustration indicate further investigation is warranted. 6. The turkeys behaved socially and were strongly influenced by social facilitation. 7. There were considerable differences between the behaviour of the turkeys and other common poultry species: the turkeys performed a running or frolicking behaviour and strutting, but did not exhibit other behaviours commonly observed such as dustbathing and ground-scratching whilst feeding. 8. Injurious pecking was infrequent. Only 14 bouts of behaviour likely to cause injury were recorded in 1,656 turkey-hours of continuous observation; no turkey required attention as a consequence of this behaviour. Feather pecking and cannibalism did not occur despite higher than conventional light intensities; the low frequency of injurious pecking could be attributed to the small group size/low stocking density.     

Assessment of the behaviour and welfare of laying hens on free-range units

The aims of this study were twofold: to develop and test an animal-based protocol for the assessment of the physical and emotional elements of the welfare of laying hens on free-range units and to investigate the effects of different approaches to housing and management on the welfare of the birds. The protocol was tested on 25 free-range units for laying hens, each of which was visited on four occasions by one of five trained observers; further information about husbandry, health and productivity was gathered from interviews with the farmers. Measures of the birds' attitude included arousal, noise, flight distance and response to a novel object, measures of their activity included feather pecking, aggression and use of range, and measures of their physical welfare included mortality, body condition and egg quality. Increased arousal was associated with increased flight distance, greater reluctance to approach a novel object and higher levels of feather pecking and feather loss, but the correlation between pecking and feather loss was low. The birds maintained body condition throughout the period of lay. Neither body condition, feather pecking nor feather loss was affected by the extent of beak trimming. Estimated losses (deaths and culls) ranged from 1.8 to 21.4 per cent (median 6.95 per cent). Few birds showed signs of ill health, limb lesions or red mite infestation. No feature of building design had a significant effect on mortality, but there were consistent differences in the birds' attitude, behaviour and performance attributable to the type of floor and the presence or absence of perches, which suggested that the welfare of the hens was inferior when they were housed on plastic floors with no perches.     

The effect of environmental factors on activity,selected behaviour patterns and “fear” of fowls in cages and pens

The causes of feather pecking are closely linked with the nature of the environment in which the bird is kept. The object of this study was to assess the influences of group size, stocking rate and illumination intensity on general activity, preening, head shaking and “ fear ” responses and to relate these activities to feather pecking. In caged birds activity was increased by brighter light, by more space per bird and by more birds in a group; more preening was seen in birds housed at a lower density and no treatment had an effect on head shaking. “ Fear ” responses were greater in dim light and particularly when group size was large. Birds in pens appeared to lack completely “ fear ” responses to the stimulus used. In pens only stocking rate was varied; it had the same effect on activity as in cages. At higher stocking rates birds in pens showed more head shaking. The relationships between feather pecking, “ fear ” responses and general activity are discussed.     

Prevalence of skin lesions in turkeys at slaughter

1. The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the prevalence of welfare-related cutaneous lesions in turkeys at the end of the rearing period and (ii) to study the correlations between lesions.

2. The percentage of lesions in each flock was determined by observation at the slaughterhouse. Sixty flocks were investigated in 13 slaughterhouses between April and July 2006.

3. All flocks showed a high proportion of turkeys with footpad lesions, with 40·7% of turkey flocks having severe footpad dermatitis. A significant number of feet had swelling of the footpad and deviated toes (60·0% and 21·4% respectively). Arthritis was observed in 25·4% of the carcases and an average of 30·1% had breast buttons on the keel.

4. Positive correlations were found between evidence of feather pecking and arthritis, toe deviations and swelling of the footpad. Deviated toes, swelling of the feet and feather pecking were negatively linked to the most severe scratches (P? 5. A method is proposed to assess turkey welfare at the slaughterhouse based on several criteria: footpad lesions, arthritis, severe scratches, deviated toes, swelling of the footpad and breast buttons.     

Role of loose feathers on the development of feather pecking in laying hens

1. The effect of the presence of loose feathers (on the floor) on the behaviour and plumage condition of laying hens (Lohmann Silver, LS) was studied during the rearing and laying periods. 2. From one day old, 60 birds in each of 4 straw-bedded pens (n = 240 in total) with 6.5 birds/m(2) were either kept under conventional rearing and management conditions (CT: control group with feathers on the floor; n = 120) or in pens from which the feathers were collected from the floor 4 times/week (FR: feathers removed; n = 120). Fifty birds from each of these 4 groups (n = 200 in total) were randomly selected at the age of 16 weeks and allocated to 4 identical pens in a poultry layer house (PH; with perches and 1/3 slatted floor) with access to an outside area (winter garden, WG) at a stocking density of 6 birds/m(2) in both PH and WG. 3. Observations on feather pecking and other behaviours (feeding, drinking, preening, standing, sitting, foraging, moving and dust bathing) were carried out at 8 ages: 6, 10, 15 (rearing period), 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 weeks (laying period). Feather scoring was carried out at 15, 32 and 39 weeks of age. 4. There were no differences in feather pecking rates, forms (gentle, severe and aggressive pecks) as well as in the plumage condition between groups at the end of the rearing period. 5. Birds in the FR group exhibited lower rates and less severe feather pecking during the laying period. Accordingly, birds in the control group had worse feather condition at 32 and 39 weeks of age. Feather pecking rates within groups were, in general, greater in the afternoon compared to the morning periods. Birds in the control group were more active in walking. 6. Wings, rump, tail and back were the main targets for feather pecking. The majority of feather pecking occurred on the floor (66%) followed by feeding area (26%), perches (4%) and slats (4%). 7. Our results suggest that loose feathers on the floor may play an important role in the development and severity of feather pecking behaviour in laying hens and support the hypothesis (McKeegan and Savory, 1999) that feather pecking can be viewed as redirected foraging behaviour.     

Describing the growth and molt of modern domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) primary wing feathers

The use of feathers as noninvasive physiological measurements of biomarkers in poultry research is expanding. Feather molting patterns and growth rates, however, are not well described in domestic poultry. These parameters could influence the measurement of these biomarkers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the juvenile primary feather molting patterns and feather growth rates for domestic turkeys. The 10 primary wing feathers of 48 female turkeys were measured weekly from week 1 (0 d of age) to week 20. Feathers were manually measured, and the presence or absence of each primary feather was recorded weekly. Generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate if feather growth differed between the primary feathers. The molting of the juvenile primary feathers followed a typical descending pattern starting with P1 (5 wk of age), while P9 and P10 had not molted by the end of the study (20 wk of age). The average feather growth rate was 2.4 cm/wk, although there was a significant difference between the 10 primary feathers (P < 0.0001, 2.1 to 2.8 cm/wk). Over time, feather growth followed a pattern where the growth rate reaches a peak and then declines until the feather is molted. The results of this study provide a critical update of patterns of molting and feather growth in primary wing feathers of modern turkeys. This can have implications for the interpretation of physiological biomarkers, such as the longitudinal deposition of corticosterone, in the feathers of domestic turkeys.     

Plumage colour and feather pecking in laying hens,a chicken perspective?

1. This study investigated whether feather damage due to feather pecking and bird behaviour were influenced by plumage colour in Oakham Blue laying hens (black, white, grey colour variants). The reflectance properties of feathers and spectral composition of light environments experienced by the hens were also examined. 2. Nine hundred and seventy-nine birds were inspected and scored for feather damage; 10.5 h of video recordings were examined to record feather pecking and bird behaviour. Feathers and light environments were measured using a USB-2000 spectrometer and DH-2000-CAL-DTH lamp. 3. Oakham Blue birds with white plumage had less feather damage due to feather pecking than black or grey birds. There was more severe feather pecking in the mornings than in the afternoon. White birds feather pecked severely more than black or grey birds, although there were no other behavioural differences between plumage colours. 4. White feathers reflected at a higher intensity than black or grey feathers. However, black and grey feather spectra were relatively flat and the contribution of UV wavelengths to plumage reflection was proportionally greater than that for white feathers. 5. Light intensity inside a poultry house was 100 x (UW/cm2/nm) less than on the range and there was low or no UV reflectance. Under the dim, artificial lights inside a poultry house, Oakham Blue hens with black and grey feathers may be less visible to conspecifics than white birds because their plumage reflects at a lower intensity. Furthermore, the lack of available UV light inside vs. outside and the higher contribution of UV reflectance to black and grey plumage may make black and grey birds appear more different inside the house than white birds. It is possible that this novel/unusual appearance may make black or grey Oakham Blue hens more susceptible to feather pecking.     

Influence of rearing and lay risk factors on propensity for feather damage in laying hens

1. Feather pecking is one of the major problems facing the egg industry in non-cage systems and is set to become even more of an issue with the European Union ban on the keeping of laying hens in barren battery cages which comes into force in 2012 and the prospect of a ban on beak-trimming. Reducing feather pecking without resorting to beak treatment is an important goal for the poultry industry. 2. We report here a longitudinal study that included over 335,500 birds from 22 free range and organic laying farms. Accelerated failure time models and proportional hazards models were used to examine the effects of a wide range of factors (management, environment and bird) on development of substantial feather damage in lay. Particular emphasis was placed on risk factors during rear and on practices that could feasibly be changed or implemented. 3. The age at which a flock exhibits substantial feather damage could be predicted both by factors in the environment and by early symptoms in the birds themselves. Factors that were associated with earlier onset of severe feather damage included the presence of chain feeders, raised levels of carbon dioxide and ammonia, higher sound and light levels, particularly in younger birds. Increased feather damage (even very slight) in birds at 17-20 weeks of age was also highly predictive of the time of onset of severe feather damage during lay. Increased feed intake also indicated that a flock was at risk of early severe feather damage. 4. Birds that stayed on the same farm for rearing and lay showed later onset of serious feather damage than those that experienced a change in farm from rearing to lay. However, an increased number of changes between rearing and lay (feeder type, drinker type, light intensity etc) was not associated with earlier onset of serious feather damage. Further research needs to be done on the role of the transition from rearing to lay as a risk factor for FP in lay.     

Stress and feather pecking in laying hens in relation to housing conditions

1. Possible association between high rates of feather pecking and increased stress were investigated in laying hens. 2. From week 19 to week 30 after hatching, 16 groups of 11 hens (white Lohman Selected Leghorn hybrids) were kept in pens with or without long-cut straw as foraging material and provided with food in the form of pellets or mash. 3. Stress was assessed by egg production, weight gain, tonic immobility (TI), heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and antibody titres to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), tetanus toxoid (TT) and human serum albumin (HSA). 4. Provision of foraging material and food form influenced feather pecking. Rates of feather pecking were highest in groups housed without straw and fed on pellets. 5. Egg production was reduced in pens without straw but not affected by food form. Both the duration of TI and H/L ratios were influenced by provision of foraging material and food form. TI was longer and H/L ratios were increased in hens housed without straw and in those fed on pellets. Antibody titers to SRBC and TT were lower in pens without straw than with straw but not influenced by food form. 6. In conclusion, foraging material and food form affected both feather pecking and indicators of stress, suggesting that feather pecking in laying hens is associated with stress.     

Effect of cage height and area on the behaviour of hens housed in battery cages

Medium hybrid hens were housed as pairs and observed at three cage heights: 30.0, 42.5 and 55.0 cm, and at three area allowances per bird: 570, 807 and 1045 cm2. With increased height, head stretching, head scratching and body shaking were performed at a higher rate and feeding and cage pecking at a lower rate. There was also an increase in the time spent sitting. With increased area, head scratching, body shaking and feather raising were performed at a higher rate and cage pecking at a lower rate. It is concluded that spatial restriction may increase the cost of performing certain 'comfort' activities, resulting in the reductions in performance rate observed in the above experiments. Welfare implications are briefly discussed and considered to depend on the motivational state of the birds.     

Effect of foraging material and food form on feather pecking in laying hens

1. The aim was to test whether provision of foraging material and food form influence feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens. 2. From week 19 of age, 16 groups of 11 hens (white Lohman Selected Leghorn hybrids) were kept in pens with or without access to long-cut straw as foraging material and fed on either mash or pellets. 3. Foraging behaviour was increased in hens with access to straw and time spent feeding was increased in hens fed on mash. In addition, hens fed on mash had longer feeding bouts and higher rates of pecking at the food during feeding than hens fed on pellets. 4. There were interaction effects of foraging material and food form on both feather pecking and feather damage. High rates of feather pecking and pronounced feather damage were only found in hens housed without access to straw and fed on pellets. In groups characterised by high rates of feather pecking the hens also showed more severe forms of this behaviour. 5. Differences in the time budgets of hens kept in different housing conditions suggested that birds fed on mash used the food not only for feeding but also as a substrate for foraging behaviour. 6. In order to avoid problems with feather pecking it is recommended that laying hens are provided with foraging material and fed on mash.     

Efficacies of fenbendazole and levamisole in the treatment of commercial turkeys for Ascaridia dissimilis infections

A field trial was conducted on a farm in Michigan with commercial turkeys naturally infected with Ascaridia dissimilis. The birds were treated at approximately 8 and 14 wk of age on a per-barn basis with fenbendazole (Safeguard) in the feed at 16 ppm for 6 d (1 barn), or with levamisole (Prohibit) in the water at 16 mg/kg of BW (2 barns). Six birds were obtained at random and sacrificed in each barn for worm burden determinations before treatments and again soon after treatments. Nematicidal efficacies for fenbendazole and levamisole were shown to be 99.3 to 99.9% and 54.6 to 85.8%, respectively. Despite the far greater reductions in worm burdens by fenbendazole as compared with levamisole, the burdens at the time of retreatment had equalized in all barns, illustrating the role of premunition regarding turkey ascaridiasis, and highlighting the overriding importance of reducing the challenge to provide long-term control of this parasitism.     

Assessing the welfare consequences of providing litter for feed-restricted broiler breeders

1. Broiler breeder females were fed restricted allocations of a standard wheat-soy ration to meet target body weights. They were housed on raised plastic slotted floors (S) or wood shavings litter (L) from hatch to 8 weeks when each pen of 12 birds was transferred to another pen in the same block in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment (LL, LS, SL and SS). Measures of bird welfare were taken at 4 weeks of age, and at 9 and 10 weeks following transfer to the new pens. 2. At 4 weeks of age, birds reared on S spent more time standing, pecking the feeder, the wall and other birds and less time pecking the floor compared with those on L. Gentle feather pecks, strong feather pecks and strong feather pulls were more common in S than L. 3. Mean body weight was higher and coefficient of variation lower in birds on L than S at the end of the experiment. Feather loss and damage scores at 10 weeks were higher for birds reared from hatch to 8 weeks on S. 4. Birds that were reared on S continued to peck more at the pen walls after transfer to new pens but there was no other carry-over effect on behaviour. Birds on S at 9 and 10 weeks pecked more at the walls and less often at the floor, and rested less often. There was more feather pecking on S than on L in the second week post transfer. 5. Tonic immobility was greater and plasma corticosterone concentrations were lower at the end of the experiment in birds on L than S at 9 and 10 weeks of age. The heterophil-lymphocyte ratio was similar between treatments at 4 weeks and after the birds were moved to a new pen. 6. The results are consistent with the view that litter and wall pecking has de-arousing properties and that this activity is re-directed foraging that diminishes the stress of feed restriction.     

Influence of a turkey stable with a veranda on performance, behaviour and health of male turkeys

Throughout 4 fattening periods (summer and winter) the influence of a veranda (roofed outside run) on the performance, behaviour and health of tom turkeys was investigated in a pilot study. A second conventional naturally ventilated stable without a veranda was also included in the investigations for special aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate this first turkey stable with a veranda and to give first recommendation for the practical use. The use of the veranda and the differences in behaviour between inside the stable with a veranda and inside the veranda as well as inside both stables were analysed. From 100 turkeys in each period we examined feather condition, walking ability and leg posture in the 9th, 13th and 17th week of age in both stables. In addition, body weight, food consumption and mortality were recorded. The results of this pilot study indicate that the tom turkeys of the line BUT Big 6 used the veranda without negative effects on health and performance parameters. There was some indication for an improved health of animals or a reduced mortality in the stable with veranda. The decrease of walking ability and normal leg posture with increasing age and body weight in both stables suggests that the genetic influence seems to have a higher influence than the enrichment of environment in this study using the fast growing line BUT Big 6. On the other hand, in this pilot study only one stable with a veranda and another commercial stable without a veranda at a different location were included. For this reason the results should be interpreted carefully with respect to possible effects in the management between the two farms.