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Abstract. Alternative housing systems for laying hens aim to improve the welfare and health of hens and become popular in China. In this paper, the vocalizations of laying hens (Hy-Line Brown breed) raised in alternative and battery-cage housing systems were monitored, with sound recorded at regular intervals throughout the life of the birds from week 13 to week 42. The acoustic features from the recorded sound were analyzed. Results showed that the key vocalization frequency and sound energy level were higher during the laying period than the growing period for both housing systems. The hens in the alternative system emitted more varieties of sound patterns than those in the cage system. The vocalization patterns could be used for evaluating the welfare of hens.