Day 019 - 27 Jul 94 - Page 19

     
     1
         MS. STEEL:   18 birds per square metre -- I measured this this
     2        morning -- a sheet of A4 paper is approximately 21 times
              30 centimetres, which is 630 square centimetres; roughly
     3        16 sheets of paper, A4 paper, will fit in a square metre.
 
     4   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  How many?
 
     5   MS. STEEL:   16.  So when we are talking about 36.7 kilograms
              per metre square, what we are saying is that each bird has
     6        less space than the size of an A4 sheet of paper?
              A.  OK.  I have not done the sums myself.
     7
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, but just look at that.  You know what
     8        they look like when they are that sort of size and they
              are all, it seems to me, it may not be fair to say,
     9        huddled together.  Does Ms. Steel surprise you?
              A.  That seems realistic.  When you walk through the birds
    10        you have to manoeuvre your foot through the birds towards
              the end of the crop; you have to be very careful where you
         are treading.
 
    12   Q.   Do they move around a lot?
              A.  Yes, they should do, provided they have adequate limb
    13        structure, no limb problems, yes.  They would move away
              from you as you walk through the crop.
    14
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I understand that, but if you came to look
    15        at them would there be a lot of movement?
              A.  It depends on the lighting level.
    16
         Q.   Milling around, or would they be pretty immobile?
    17        A.  Depends on two factors; one is the lighting level.
              Lighting levels as used at Sun Valley would encourage
    18        movement, so they would move to a normal extent, provided
              they had adequate space, and also it depends on the time
    19        of day.  They sometimes during the day just sit down and
              have a rest.  At other times of the day they are out
    20        moving around and feeding.
 
    MS. STEEL:   If chickens are kept outside they run around for a
              quite a bit?
    22        A.  That is correct.
 
    23   Q.   In terms of comparing between what a chicken's normal
              behaviour would be and what it is in a broiler shed, their
    24        movements are quite restricted?
              A.  Their movement is undoubtedly less in a broiler shed.
    25
         Q.   Severely restricted? 
    26        A.  Not severely, it is just less.  The bird may decide 
              rather than having any imposition, so to speak.  It is a 
    27        combination of the two things.
 
    28   Q.   But the factors that would depend on the bird moving
              around would be the lighting levels?
    29        A.  Yes.
 
    30   Q.   And the health of its legs?
              A.  Yes.  For instance, when the chain feeder is switched