Day 019 - 27 Jul 94 - Page 21

     
     1        in a trim condition.
 
     2   Q.   What I was trying to get at -- leaving aside broilers for
              the moment, other more or less genetically bred or --
     3        sorry, I am not expressing it quite right -- other more
              normal chickens, what sort of age would they start flying?
     4        A.  I am guessing, I have not read anything which tells me
              what the answer is or I have not observed.  I think you
     5        will see them performing skilled flight from about six
              weeks in a laying hen strain.  I am guessing now.  I am
     6        open to correction on that.  You should consult somebody
              who is an expert in that area.  That is a fairly specific
     7        question.  I could attempt to find out if you wish me to.
 
     8   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Even a laying hen, it may fly to get on to a
              perch?
     9        A.  Certainly.
 
    10   Q.   Does little flying jumps in the air when it is being
              attacked by another laying hen, but it does not fly much,
         if at all, to get from A to B?
              A.  They do, in fact, what are jumping and springing acts
    12        which are tantamount to gliding.  They do do flying,
              obviously when a long distance is to be achieved -- for
    13        instance, let us say you have one perch against that wall
              and one perch here.  It would be a courageous laying hen
    14        to attempt the flight.  It would by preference go down and
              up.  They are not, as I say, adept at flying.  In fact,
    15        work showing flight accidents in hens has shown they are
              particularly common in laying hens over relatively short
    16        distances.
 
    17   MS. STEEL:   Which sort of laying hens are we talking about?
              Are we talking about something close to, what, a wild hen,
    18        you know, the origins, or are we talking about something
              which has been bred for producing a lot of eggs?
    19        A.  Commercial brown hybrids as used for egg production in
              the UK kept under a barn or perchery style conditions.
    20
         Q.   They would be bred to produce more eggs than a hen would
         naturally?
              A.  Absolutely.
    22
         Q.   So that is something that could affect the amount of
    23        flying they might have done, or might be interested in
              doing?
    24        A.  I think the only way of answering that question is to
              compare them with something like jungle fowl.  I have had
    25        a little experience with jungle fowl, and certainly they
              show more flying activity than the brown hybrid layer 
    26        equivalent. 
  
    27   Q.   So one of the big reasons why broiler hens in particular
              might not want to fly is because they have been bred to be
    28        very heavy, so it would be pretty uncomfortable for them
              to fly?
    29        A.  It could be a strength of whim versus weight balance
              or ratio, whatever you like to refer to it as.  It may be
    30        that their wings are not powerful enough to sustain the
              weight of their body in flight.  That is a possibility,