Alexandra Harlander, University of Guelph

Research

behavioural problems enrichment feather damage feather pecking laying hens non-cage system housing pecking blocks pecking stones

Latest papers

Research note: Gentle versus severe feather pecking: effects of synbiotic feed supplementation under chronic stress in laying hens.
Poultry science · 2026 · senior author
Preference and behavioral responses to synbiotic supplementation via drinking water in laying hens under social stress.
Poultry science · 2026 · senior author
Holding on or heading up? The roosting preferences of brown- and white-feathered laying hen pullets.
Poultry science · 2026

All 10 publications

Latest funding

The use of pecking blocks as foraging enrichment for improvement of feather condition in laying hens
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$227,290

All 1 grants and awards

10 publications.

01

Research note: Gentle versus severe feather pecking: effects of synbiotic feed supplementation under chronic stress in laying hens.

van Staaveren N, Leishman EM, Hughes G, Nicklas AL, Forsythe P, Harlander A

Poultry science2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.107055 PMID: 42096908

02

Preference and behavioral responses to synbiotic supplementation via drinking water in laying hens under social stress.

Naim A, van Staaveren N, Leishman EM, Nicklas AL, Tulpan D, Forsythe P, Harlander A

Poultry science2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2026.106860 PMID: 41911622

03

Holding on or heading up? The roosting preferences of brown- and white-feathered laying hen pullets.

Penney M, Harlander A, Sandilands V, Siegford J, Widowski T

Poultry science2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.106230 PMID: 41406810

04

Investigating factors affecting the incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia in meat-type poultry: A meta-analysis.

Amini B, Jahnel RE, Makanjuola BO, Bai X, Barbut S, Harlander A, Ellis JL, Baes CF, Leishman EM

Poultry science2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.106183 PMID: 41406806

05

Investigating targeted and untargeted approaches to biomarker discovery in fearful, adult dogs.

Burron SR, Croney CC, Seymour DJ, Strassburger R, Cottee S, Harlander A, Shoveller AK

Journal of animal science2026

DOI: 10.1093/jas/skag260 PMID: 42616905

06

Pecking block use at individual level is associated with improved eggshell quality and keel fractures in laying hens.

Ehigbor TF, Edwards AM, Rentsch AK, Kiarie EG, Harlander A, Widowski TM

Poultry science2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105716 PMID: 40915088

07

Alternative housing systems have mixed impacts on health and welfare of laying hens.

Denis É, Harlander A, Godbout S, Boulianne M

Poultry science2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105235 PMID: 40339239

08

Hen-durance training-effects of an exercise regimen on laying hen muscle architecture and fracture prevalence.

Hong GAT, Tobalske BW, van Staaveren N, Leishman EM, Widowski TM, Powers DR, Harlander A

Royal Society open science2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.241191 PMID: 40012755

09

Raising laying hens: housing complexity and genetic strain affect startle reflex amplitude and behavioural response to fear-inducing stimuli.

Rentsch AK, Harlander A, Niel L, Siegford JM, Widowski TM

Royal Society open science2024

DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231075 PMID: 38511084

10

The development of laying hen locomotion in 3D space is affected by early environmental complexity and genetic strain.

Rentsch AK, Ross E, Harlander A, Niel L, Siegford JM, Widowski TM

Scientific reports2023

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35956-1 PMID: 37344513

The use of pecking blocks as foraging enrichment for improvement of feather condition in laying hens

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Harlander, Alexandra A

Keywords: behavioural problems; enrichment; feather damage; feather pecking; laying hens; non-cage system housing; pecking blocks; pecking stones; pullets

$227,290

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Animal Biosciences
Population Medicine
Medicine
Department of Animal Biosciences
Sciences cliniques/Faculté de médecine vétérinaire
Food Science

Co-authors at University of Guelph, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Lee Niel

Population Medicine

2 shared papers, latest 2024

Shai Barbut

Food Science

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Dan Tulpan

Department of Animal Biosciences

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Martine Boulianne

Sciences cliniques/Faculté de médecine vétérinaire

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: behavioural problems Dear Professor Harlander, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Research note: Gentle versus severe feather pecking: effects of synbiotic feed supplementation under chronic stress in laying hens." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "The use of pecking blocks as foraging enrichment for improvement of feather condition in laying hens" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Alexandra Harlander