# Floor Eggs in Australian Cage-Free Egg Production

## TL;DR

This study explores factors affecting floor eggs in Australian cage-free egg production, finding that shed design and flock size influence their occurrence.

## Contribution

The study identifies shed ventilation and flock size as key factors influencing floor egg rates in cage-free egg production.

## Key findings

- Larger flocks had fewer floor eggs compared to smaller flocks.
- Tunnel-ventilated sheds reported lower floor egg levels than other ventilation systems.
- Higher floor egg levels were associated with increased labor costs.

## Abstract

Cage-free egg farming is becoming more common in Australia, now making up the majority of egg sales. These systems are seen as better for animal welfare, but they also bring new challenges for farmers. One issue is floor eggs, which are eggs laid by hens outside of the nest boxes. These eggs often cannot be collected easily or used for sale, leading to lost income and more work for staff. In this study, we looked at 43 flocks across Australia to find out what factors might lead to more floor eggs. We found that the number of floor eggs varied widely, from almost none to 17% of daily egg production. Larger flocks tended to have fewer floor eggs, and sheds with tunnel ventilation systems had lower levels of floor eggs compared to those using natural types of airflow. Farms with more floor eggs also had higher labor costs. These findings suggest that some features of the shed and how it is managed can influence the number of floor eggs. Understanding these factors can help farmers manage their systems, reduce waste, and produce eggs more efficiently while still meeting animal welfare expectations.

Cage-free egg production is now the predominant system in Australia. However, the occurrence of floor eggs (FE), which are eggs laid outside designated nest boxes, presents a major challenge for these producers. To understand factors that may be associated with the laying of FE, a national scoping survey of cage-free egg-laying flocks was undertaken. Forty-three flocks across multiple farms were surveyed via a phone-based interview using predetermined questions. Floor egg levels ranged from 0.01–17%. There was no difference in floor egg levels between the breeds of brown-egg-laying hens. Age at peak lay did not alter the level of FE, but higher rate of peak lay had a weak association with fewer FE (r = −0.31, p = 0.049). Larger flocks had a lower percentage of FE (r = −0.5, p = 0.002), and farmers of larger sized flocks considered a lower level of floor eggs to be acceptable. Farms with tunnel-ventilated sheds reported fewer FE compared to those using other ventilation systems (p = 0.013). Higher floor egg levels were associated with increased labor costs (p = 0.023). These findings suggest that shed design and environmental management may be leveraged to reduce floor egg occurrence and improve operational efficiency in cage-free systems.