1. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of using a multi-tier aviary system and access to range on flock uniformity in free-range laying hens, and to determine whether the extent of range use or flock uniformity can be predicted from the use of different levels of the aviary system.2. A total of 13,716 Lohmann Brown hens from five commercial free-range flocks housed in identical houses on the same farm were individually weighed at 16 weeks of age and allocated to five replicate areas within each house. Hen movement in the multi-tier aviary system and on the range was individually monitored using radio frequency identification (RFID). All hens had access to the range from 18 to 22 weeks of age and were exposed to the same management conditions.3. Whilst only one flock significantly changed its flock uniformity with time, they differed from each other in uniformity and body weight (P = 0.001).4. Hens spent most of their available time on the lower aviary tier (7.29 ± 0.029 h/hen/day) and on the upper aviary tier (4.29 ± 0.024 h/hen/day) while the least amount of time was spent on the range and in the nest boxes (0.93 ± 0.005 h/hen/day and 1.48 ± 0.007 h, respectively, P = 0.001).5. Range use was negatively correlated (r = -0.30) to the time spent on the upper aviary tier and positively correlated (r = 0.46) to the time spent on the lower aviary tier (P = 0.001). Bivariate analysis revealed that range and upper aviary resp. lower aviary tier usage had a significant curvilinear association.6. In conclusion, the study showed that range use was associated to the time hens spent on the different tiers of the aviary system. Flock uniformity varied between flocks but was not associated with either range and aviary system usage.

中文翻译：

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羊群的使用与商业散养蛋鸡中多层鸟舍系统不同组件的使用有关。

1.这项研究的目的是调查使用多层鸟舍系统与自由放养母鸡群均匀度范围的联系，并确定是否可以从以下方面预测范围使用或群均匀度的程度使用不同级别的鸟类系统2。在同一农场的相同房屋中饲养的五只商业自由放养鸡群的总共13,716头Lohmann Brown母鸡在16周龄时分别称重，并分配到每只房屋的五个重复区域中。使用射频识别（RFID）分别监视多层禽舍系统和范围内的母鸡运动。所有母鸡均可进入18至22周龄，并处于相同的管理条件下。3。尽管只有一只鸡群会随着时间的推移显着改变其鸡群均匀度，它们在均匀度和体重方面互不相同（P = 0.001）.4。母鸡将大部分可用时间花费在较低的鸟舍等级（7.29±0.029小时/母鸡/天）和较高的鸟舍层（4.29±0.024小时/母鸡/天）上，而最短的时间花费在范围和在巢箱中（分别为0.93±0.005 h / hen / day和1.48±0.007 h，P = 0.001）.5。范围使用与在上层鸟舍上花费的时间呈负相关（r = -0.30），而与在下层鸟舍上花费的时间呈正相关（r = 0.46）。双变量分析显示该范围和上层鸟舍。较低的鸟舍等级使用具有明显的曲线关联性。6。总而言之，研究表明，养鸡场的使用与母鸡在鸟笼系统不同层级上花费的时间有关。