Intestinal Microbiota and Injurious Behaviors in Laying Hens

Injurious behaviors in laying hens cause significant health, welfare, and economic challenges to the poultry egg production industry globally. Despite the advance in management, injurious behaviors happen in all the current rearing facilities, including both cage systems (conventional cages and enriched cages) and cage-free systems (aviary system and organic system). Gut microbiota functions as an endocrine organ displaying multiple functions including the regulation of behavioral exhibition via the gut-brain axis in humans and various animals including chickens. Based on our earlier success, this chapter outlines the potential of inhibiting injurious behaviors in chickens through remodeling intestinal microbiota composition and function. It provides a novel insight into developing appropriate biotherapeutic strategies for preventing injurious behaviors in chickens.