Hen fearfulness and exploration is associated with strain/breed, housing system and feeder space in Australian free-range commercial egg farms.

Both fear and exploration have been shown to have relationships with animal welfare and animal production. As such, there is an ongoing need to identify the joint effects, including interactions, of current and developing management practices and production systems on fear and exploration in laying hens. This study aimed to investigate relationships between laying hen responses to novelty and humans, and both management and environmental factors in commercial Australian free-range egg farms. This study assessed 64 flocks of laying hens across 3 commercial organisations in Australia. For each flock, behavioural responses towards both a novel object and an unfamiliar human were assessed when the hens were between 30 and 46 weeks of age. Management and environmental data were collected through farm records, interviews with farm managers and weather stations. Data were analysed using generalised linear mixed models. Several key relationships were identified. Despite the breeds being promoted as similar in physical appearance, behavioural characteristics and production values, Hyline brown flocks showed less fear of humans in both the 'shed and 'range' areas and less fear of the novel object in the range compared to the flocks of ISA brown. Hens housed in aviary systems were less fearful of humans based on less avoidance of an unfamiliar human compared to hens housed in flat deck systems. Decreased feeder space per hen was strongly associated with increased fear of the novel object. Random site effects for the hen responses to humans, and random shed effects for the hen response to a novel object when outside, were also detected, highlighting the importance of stockperson attitudes and behaviour which may be influenced by differences in work culture at different sites. Awareness of these relationships could lead to adaptive changes in management practices which result in better outcomes both in terms of hen welfare and productivity.