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Hens' Preferences for High-Intensity High-Pressure Sodium or Low-Intensity Incandescent Lighting

Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON NIG 2W1, Canada; Phone: (519) 824-4120, Ext. 2408; FAX: (519) 836-9873

Correspondence: T. M. Widowski, E-mail:twidowski{at}aps.uoguelph.ca

High-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) are being introduced to poultry operations because of their energy efficiencies and long average life spans, but few studies have investigated the effects of this source of lighting on poultry behavior or performance. HPS sources emit a much narrower range of wavelengths than traditional incandescent lighting, resulting in light with a yellowish appearance. Because birds are sensitive to different wavelengths and intensities of light, an experiment was conducted to determine the preferences of hens for either high-pressure sodium light at an average intensity of 426 lux or standard incandescent light at 27 lux and to measure the activities that the birds performed in the two different light sources. The hens spent similar amounts of time in the two different light sources (P>. 10). However, birds tended to spend more time than expected sitting and feeding in the dimmer incandescent light and more time than expected pecking, nesting, and preening in HPS (P<. 05). These differences in behavior may have been due to either the difference in intensity or the difference in color. Additional long-term studies should be conducted to determine how illuminating poultry houses with HPS affects overall behavior.

Key Words: Behavior • hens • high-pressure sodium • incandescent • lighting preference