**5. Conclusions**

Our findings prove that no significant differences exist between the two studied transport variants. This conclusion may be supported by further investigations. Considering the tested flocks, we can say that both transport variants exerted a similar level of stress on the birds. Significant differences between the two layer lines indicated that HNS hens would benefit from transportation in the short variant, whereas stress levels in HNB hens were similar in both variants. Nonetheless, we cannot say whether a longer time of transportation exerts more and longer lasting negative impacts than a shorter period of transportation. Future studies comparing weight development or egg production and egg weight between both transport variants could help to answer the remaining questions.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, H.S. and S.B.; Formal analysis, P.S.; Investigation, H.S. and S.B.; Methodology, R.P.; Project administration, H.S. and S.B.; Supervision, H.S., M.E. and S.B.; Visualization, H.S.; Writing—original draft, H.S.

**Funding:** This research was funded by three companies in Switzerland: hosberg AG, Wüthrich Brüterei AG, and Prodavi AG.

**Acknowledgments:** We would like to thank Alfred Reinhard, founder of hosberg AG, for the opportunity to conduct this study. Likewise, we acknowledge the entire staff of hosberg AG, as well as the support of Wüthrich Brüterei AG and Prodavi AG, which funded and supported the investigation. Finally, we thank Verena Lietze for the professional language editing of the manuscript.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to publish the results.
