Furthermore, eggs laid outside
the nest could lead to cloacal cannibalism (Savory,
1995), a severe welfare problem. To prevent such problems,
it is important to provide adequate nest space
and a suitable nest-access platform or area in front of
the nests. The nest-choice behavior of laying hens includes
a period of exploration during which the birds
walk back and forth to inspect different nest sites (Cooper
and Appleby, 1995).