Novogen has introduced a program involving individual monitoring of hens housed in floor systems.  Research and development applying electronic monitoring records the time spent in a nest, the interval between successive eggs laid, number of nests visited, laying time in relation to environmental factors and age of the hen.  Preliminary results suggest a wide range among hens in nest-dwell time extending from a few minutes to over an hour.  The data generated by Novogen has implications for standards of nest area and design. It is interesting that the Company report notes “nest selection” Most aviary installations representing the majority of new commercial housing use either communal nests or curtained nesting areas.

Data collected using electronic monitoring will be applied to selection to optimize productivity of flocks and enhance egg quality.