The experiment examined whether the use of outdoor areas by broilers housed on an intensive farm had any consequences for production traits (body weight and feed intake, elements of carcass cut and dressing percentage, carcass tissue composition, weight of breast muscles and their percentage). The production results of birds of each sex reared together and separately were also compared. Free access to runs for broiler chickens shows no distinct effect on their performance. The birds probably were well adapted to intensive conditions of rearing during the years of selection. Chickens with access to runs were only characterized by higher body, liver and bone weights, and a lower dressing percentage in comparison with birds without access to runs. Feed intake and conversion appeared to be similar in both groups. Keeping sexes separately during the rearing period is not advisable.

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