Keel bone injury in laying hens: the prevalence of injuries in relation to different housing systems, implications, and potential solutions

Increased pressure on the poultry industry by animal-rights organisations and environmentally-conscious consumers has led to the rising popularity of cage-free housing system for hens. One of the main dangers of cage-free housing systems is the possibility for laying hens to damage their keels. Keel bone fracture incidence rate ranges up to 85%, and can lead to extensive pain in any bird, and potentially be the cause of the death for a hen in a...