9Scratch areas and claw-shortening devices or areas

9 Scratch areas and claw-shortening devices or areas

9 Scratch areas and claw-shortening devices or areas

(1) A person must not confine laying fowl in a furnished cage unless both of the following are provided for use by the fowl—

(a) a scratch area that complies with the minimum standards for providing scratch areas for laying fowl under subsection (2),

(b) a claw-shortening device or area that complies with the minimum standards for providing claw-shortening devices or areas for laying fowl under subsection (3).

Maximum penalty—

(a) for an individual—50 penalty units, or

(b) otherwise—200 penalty units.

(2) For subsection (1)(a), the minimum standards for providing scratch areas for laying fowl are as follows—

(a) the scratch area must comprise a material with a textured surface on which the fowl can engage in scratching and foraging behaviours,

Example of scratch area—

a piece of synthetic grass

(b) the scratch area must be of sufficient size to allow at least 1 fowl to perform normal postures when engaging in scratching and foraging behaviours on the scratch area.

(3) For subsection (1)(b), the minimum standards for providing claw-shortening devices or areas for laying fowl are as follows—

(a) the claw-shortening device or area must comprise an object or material with an abrasive surface on which fowl can engage in scratching behaviours,

Examples of claw-shortening devices or areas—

strips of synthetic material coated with abrasive matter, such as metal filings and sand, or painted with abrasive textured paint, metal plates machined to have abrasive textured surfaces

(b) the claw-shortening device or area must be of sufficient size to allow at least 1 fowl to engage in scratching behaviours when using the device or on the area.

(4) For subsection (1), a person satisfies the requirement to provide both a scratch area and a claw-shortening device or area if the person provides a single area that complies with both—

(a) the minimum standards for providing scratch areas for laying fowl, and