1. Layers housed as pairs in cages were denied access to food from 07.30 to 15.30 h each day. Analyses of video records of daily activity patterns showed several behaviour changes compared with the patterns shown by similar birds allowed ad libitum (AL) access to food. 2. Birds given restricted access (RA) to food spent more time sitting and cage pecking while unable to feed than those feeding ad libitum during the same period. They also engaged in less agonistic pecking and the lengths of bouts of drinking were reduced during the period of food denial compared with the AL treatment. 3. After the food troughs were uncovered birds on the RA treatment showed fewer bouts of feather pecking but more bouts of drinking than the AL treatment. 4. Improvements previously reported in the efficiency of food utilisation of birds on the RA treatment may have been the result of additional sitting, although other activities requiring energy expenditure were performed. 5. It is concluded that restricting access to food on a time basis has both positive and negative effects on the welfare of caged layers.