Commercial laying hen farms' general characteristics, environmental management, and biosecurity practices in the sub-arid area of Algeria

The success of commercial laying hen farms depends on the possibility of managing environmental conditions properly and performing strict biosecurity measures, which would increase productivity, enhance the performance of the flock, and save money, especially in regions characterized by challenging climatic conditions, such as the sub-arid and arid areas. There is, however, very little literature exploring these issues in the Algerian context. The objective of the study was to assess environmental management and biosecurity practices, and the relationship between these and farm size in the Algerian sub-arid area (northeast Algeria). The face-to-face interviews were conducted between January 2024 and April 2025 among 144 laying hen farmers, who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Most of the farms had a population of 12,000-40,000 hens (68.06%), with the largest population, at 33.33%, being that of ISA Brown. Findings revealed that numerous critical practices such as light intensity control (χ² = 24.984; P < 0.001), hygrometry regulation (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), frequency of manure removal (χ² = 23.386; P < 0.001), environmental management systems (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), wheel dips (χ² = 61.714; P < 0.001), maintenance of footbath (χ² = 71.324; P < 0.001), shoe changing protocols (χ² = 45.958; P < 0.001), compliance for fallow period (χ² = 26.128; P < 0.001), wild bird and rodent control (χ² = 32.863; P < 0.001), and disposal of carcass (χ² = 82.505; P < 0.001) were poorly applied, especially in small-sized farms (<12,000 hens and 12,000–40,000 hens). In comparison, larger farms (>40,000 hens in size) had comparatively high compliance, likely due to their financial capacity and resource availability. Comprehensively, the results show that environmental management and biosecurity activities in the study area are deficient. Specific measures, such as farmer training and raising awareness levels, are the most urgent methods to encourage the adoption of these necessary practices and protect the health of poultry and farm productivity.