1. Investigating the Behavior and Responses of Cage-free Laying Hens Using a Laser Disturbance System

Growing attention to animal welfare is accelerating the shift to cage-free housing, but floor eggs remain a persistent problem. Eggs laid on the ground are easily soiled, broken, and can transmit disease; they also raise labor and time costs because they must be collected quickly. Once floor laying becomes habitual, correction is difficult. We propose a laser-based disturbance system that uses non-invasive light cues to guide hens toward raised platforms and nest boxes. Deployed on an embedded... F. Chang