Rule 901:12-9-03 | Management.
(A) The responsible party must catch, lift, and move poultry humanely.
(B) Except for paragraph (C) of rule 901:12-3-05 of the Administrative Code, birds can be caught or carried by one or both legs, and are not to be caught, carried, or lifted by the head, neck, or tail.
(C) The following livestock management procedures are acceptable to minimize injury to the birds and, if performed, must be performed in a humane manner:
(1) Beak conditioning;
(2) Toenail conditioning;
(3) Dubbing; and
(4) Induced molting:
If induced molting is used, the following conditions must also be met:
(a) Use only non-feed withdrawal methods;
(b) Feed layers a maintenance ration for non-producing layers;
(c) The light period reduced to no fewer than six hours in closed houses, or to natural day length in open houses, for the duration of the rest period. When the flock is placed back on a layer diet, lights should be returned to the normal layer program; and
(d) During molt, monitor flock health, mortality, and bird weight.
(D) Environmental management must be designed to control rodents, non-beneficial insects, and parasite infestation in the birds, as it applies to the flock's housing system.
(E) All poultry housing systems must meet the following requirements:
(1) Provide a clean and safe environment that promotes the health, welfare, and performance of layers at all stages of their lives;
(2) If provided, provide good quality and absorbent bedding;
(3) Manage environmental moisture, whether birds are housed indoors or outdoors, to promote flock health and welfare;
(4) Maximum stocking densities must allow all poultry;
(a) To rest at the same time without being forced to rest on top of each other at all stages of production; and
(b) To have access to feed and water without excessive competition that prevents the individual animals from maintaining normal body condition.
(5) Housing must be designed and maintained in a manner which:
(a) Seeks to minimize the effects of adverse weather conditions;
(b) Seeks to minimize conditions in which the bird cannot effectively thermo-regulate;
(c) Provides sufficient ventilation to reduce concentrations of carbon monoxide, ammonia, and dust; and
(d) Provides backup systems in working condition, in houses/barns that require mechanized ventilation.
(6) Light intensity adequate for observation during inspection; and
(7) If natural light is not available, artificial light is provided for rearing and production.
(F) Conventional battery cage systems must meet the following requirements:
(1) Systems installed after the initial effective date of this rule are such that manure from birds in upper cage levels does not drop directly on birds in lower level cages;
(2) The slope of the cage floor does not exceed eight degrees;
(3) Systems installed on existing farms after the initial effective date of this rule provide for a minimum of sixty-seven square inches per layer;
(4) For systems installed prior to the initial effective date of this rule, house/barn averaging results in a minimum average of sixty-seven square inches per layer five years after the effective date of this rule;
(5) An existing layer/pullet farm, after the initial effective date of this rule, is not precluded from an expansion using current cage housing systems;
(6) Conventional battery cages systems may not be installed, after the initial effective date of the rule, on any farm not defined as an existing farm; and
(7) Any housing system on an existing farm may be replaced with the same housing system in the case of a catastrophic event, including but not limited to fire, flood, wind, or building collapse, that requires new construction to replace the existing housing system.
(G) Enriched cage systems must, at a minimum, comply with paragraphs (F)(1) to (F)(5) of this rule.
(H) Cage-free housing systems must meet the following requirements:
(1) Cage-free housing systems installed after the initial effective date of this rule provide a minimum of one hundred forty-four square inches per layer;
(2) If perches are provided, the perches are positioned to minimize fecal fouling of layers, feeders, and drinkers below;
(3) If multi-tiered perches are used, each tier allows hens to safely access other vertical tiers, including the floor;
(4) If nests are provided, clean as necessary to ensure that manure does not accumulate;
(5) For cage-free systems installed prior to the implementation date of these standards, the responsible party must meet paragraphs (H)(1) to (H)(4) of this rule five years after the effective date of this rule; and,
(6) Cage-free layers with access to the outdoors are provided reasonable protection from adverse weather conditions and predators.
Last updated February 13, 2025 at 8:15 AM
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