Chicken

Effects of early environmental enrichment upon open-field behavior and timidity in the domestic chick

Group-housed domestic chicks were reared either with objects (enriched) [golf ball, bottle top, lengths of string etc.] or without objects. ... The increased stimulation provided by environmental enrichment may decrease fearfulness in subsequent fear-inducing situations and may enhance the ability...

Year Published: 1982Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Jones, R. B. 1982. Effects of early environmental enrichment upon open-field behavior and timidity in the domestic chick. Developmental Psychobiology 15, 105-111.

Socialization as a factor in resistance to infection, feed efficiency, and response to antigen in chickens

Regular human handling at an early age reduces fear and facilitates easier, i.e., less stressful handling during procedures.

Year Published: 1982Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Gross, W. B., Siegel, P. B. 1982. Socialization as a factor in resistance to infection, feed efficiency, and response to antigen in chickens. American Journal of Veterinary Research 43, 2010-2012.

Rest in poultry

Hens often use high perches in preference to low perches, when offered a choice.

Year Published: 1984Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Blokhuis, H. J. 1984. Rest in poultry. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 12, 289-303.

Some observations on the development of feather pecking in poultry

Feather pecking occurs much more often when chicken are kept on wire floor rather then litter which allows the hens to peck up additional food particles. It is argued that feather pecking in the absence of a suitable litter substrate...

Year Published: 1984Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Blokhuis, H. J., Arkes, J. G. 1984. Some observations on the development of feather pecking in poultry. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 12, 145-157.

Production and behaviour of laying domestic fowls in outside pens

The birds outside produced on average as many eggs (337 in 560 days) as those inside (378), and of greater mean weight. ... Feather condition was better in birds in [outside] pens and their body weight was greater than that...

Year Published: 1984Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Hughes, B. O., Dun, P. 1984. Production and behaviour of laying domestic fowls in outside pens. Applied Animal Ethology (Applied Animal Behaviour Science) 11, 201 (Abstract).

Fearfulness of hens caged individually or in groups in different tiers of a battery and the effects of translocation between tiers

Hens housed in the top tier of the 3-tier battery system were more fearful. The extra stimulation received by birds in the middle and bottom tiers may have reduced their fearfulness.

Year Published: 1985Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Jones, R. B. 1985. Fearfulness of hens caged individually or in groups in different tiers of a battery and the effects of translocation between tiers. British Poultry Science 26, 399-408.

Fear responses of individually-caged laying hens as a function of cage level and aisle

Hens housed individually in the top tier of the 3-tier battery system were more fearful. ... The extra stimulation received by birds in the middle and bottom tiers may have reduced their fearfulness in subsequent fear-inducing situations.

Year Published: 1985Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Jones, R. B. 1985. Fear responses of individually-caged laying hens as a function of cage level and aisle. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 14, 63-75.

Effects of type of cage partition, cage shape, and bird density on productivity and well-being of layers

In Experiment 1 there were no significant differences in rate of lay, egg quality, latency to feeding, and feather condition of hens in cages with wire mesh or solid metal side partitions. Birds in cages with solid metal side partitions...

Year Published: 1986Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Ramos, N. C., Anderson, K. E., Adams, A. W. 1986. Effects of type of cage partition, cage shape, and bird density on productivity and well-being of layers. Poultry Science 65, 2023-2028.

Influence of presence of perches during rearing on incidence of floor laying in broiler breeders

Flightiness was reduced in chickens reared in an environment where they had access to perches.

Year Published: 1987Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Brake, J. 1987. Influence of presence of perches during rearing on incidence of floor laying in broiler breeders. Poultry Science 66, 1587-1589.

Effect of cage height and area on the behavior of hens housed in battery cages

With increased area, head scratching, body shaking and feather raising were performed at a higher rate and cage pecking at a lower rate. .. Welfare implications are briefly discussed.

Year Published: 1987Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Nicol, C. J. 1987. Effect of cage height and area on the behavior of hens housed in battery cages. British Poultry Science 28, 327-336.