Table 5.

Housing and management information about a farmer’s current laying hen flock collected through self-administered questionnaire

General Information	Date Years of farming experience Province Farm size
Flock Information	Hatchery & rearing farm birds came from Date of placement Age of placement Current flock age Flock size at placement & current size
Housing Features	Housing system used No. of system tiers Manufacturer & model Age of system Stocking density Perches (availability, height, space) Nests (availability, type, location) Drinker & feeder type Enrichment (types, age of access, motivation for use)
Litter Management	Floor type/proportion of litter Type of material, depth, maintenance Age of access Restriction practices Supplemental foraging material
Bird Characteristics	Feather colour Breed
Rearing and Placement	Visitation of pullet flock Home-rearing vs. supplier, integration of flocks yes/no Pullet housing system Beak trimming (yes/no, age, method, length) Condition on arrival Matching of environmental conditions
Flock Health	Inspection (frequency, duration, no. of workers, route, observations) Feather pecking (if it had been observed, body area, at what age, any management changes in response) Flock behaviour in response to workers Biosecurity measures Vaccination & instances of illness Mortality (percentage & main causes)
Diet	Feed structure, supplier, availability, supplements Feeding frequency & special practices (midnight feeding) Diet changes System breakdowns
Lighting	Type, hours of light, intensity Dawn/dusk period (yes/no) & method
Air quality	Type of ventilation Temperature, humidity, ammonia concentration, dust levels Manure removal frequency
Outdoor Access	Type of access (veranda vs. range area), age of access Range (size, use, quality) Popholes (number, distribution throughout barn) Outdoor area rotation
Productivity	Age at start of lay No. of eggs collected per day, percentage of floor eggs Performance compared to breed standards Current & peak production figures