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The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ageon pecking behaviour and plumage quality of free-range laying hens during first access to range.Six hundred 16-week-old layer pullets obtained from a commercial companywere housed in a experimental free-range house. The experimental houseconsisted of a slat-and-litter floor with range area and was divided intothree similar pens. The pullets were randomly assigned to a control and twoexperimental groups according to age at first access to range area. Thebirds were allowed into the range area for the first time at 18, 20 and 22 weeks of age inthe groups of treatment I, treatment II and control, respectively. Pecking behaviourand plumage quality of the birds were measured for 8-week intervals from24 to 48 weeks of age. Total feather damage significantly increased with age in allgroups (P < 0.040, P < 0.006, P < 0.001).Compared to the control group, birds allowed into the range area earlier hadless feather damage. The feather score of the tail body region in all groups was significantlygreater (more damage) than in the others (P < 0.001).There were no significant differences for the total pecking behaviour of thebirds in the groups at 24, 32, 40 and 48 weeks of age. Incidents of gentlefeather pecking in every period were more frequent, while aggressive peckingwas less frequent (P < 0.026, P < 0.007, P < 0.001). It can besaid that access to range area as early as possible at the beginning ofthe laying period may be useful to reduce the negative effect of feather peckingin free-range layer chickens

Effects of age at first access to range area on pecking behaviour and plumage quality of free-range layer chickens