Chicken

Report on the Welfare of Laying Hens

FAWC's Five Freedoms:Freedom from hunger and thirst by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain full health and vigour;Freedom from discomfort by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and comfortable resting area;Freedom from pain, injury and disease by...

Year Published: 1997Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Farm Animal Welfare Council 1997. Report on the Welfare of Laying Hens. Farm Animal Welfare Council, Tolworth, UK.

Effects of restricting access to litter trays on their use by caged laying hens

Hens with access to litter in an otherwise barren environment spent around 18% of their time in litter-related activities, consistent with the view that it is important to provide hens with substrate in which to forage and dust-bathe.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Hughes, B. O., Channing, C. E. 1998. Effects of restricting access to litter trays on their use by caged laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 56, 37-45.

Pecking at string by individually caged, adult laying hens: colour preference and their stability

Bunches of string are attractive picking stimuli for laying hens. White or yellow bunches are preferred to blue or orange ones. Despite the brevity of presentation, the birds showed no evidence of habituation upon repeated exposure.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Jones, R. B., Carmichael, N. L. 1998. Pecking at string by individually caged, adult laying hens: colour preference and their stability. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 60, 11-23.

The effect of foraging material and perch height on feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens

Feather pecking was less frequent in pens with than without polystyrene block [foraging material]. On the other hand, feather damage in week 30 was significantly more pronounced in pens with low than with high perches, but not significantly influenced by...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Wechsler, B., Huber-Eicher, B. 1998. The effect of foraging material and perch height on feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58, 131-141.

Environmental enrichment for farm animals

Comprehensive review of the literature. It is desirable to socialize the animals to humans. Socialized animals are less fearful, grow more quickly, have higher rates of milk production, and show improved immune competence. Even brief contact with humans can decrease...

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Pig

Citation: Mench, J. A., Morrow-Tesch, J., Chu, L. 1998. Environmental enrichment for farm animals. Lab Animal 27(3), 32-36.

Perching behaviour and preferences for different perch designs among laying hens

Hens kept in pens were tested. No significant difference emerged when comparing time spent perching on single versus double wooden perches, soft versus hard perches, or round versus rectangular perches. .. Perching durations on wooden versus plastic versus metal perches,...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Lambe, N. R., Scott, G. B. 1998. Perching behaviour and preferences for different perch designs among laying hens. Animal Welfare 7, 203-216.

Managing the environmental enrichment program for nonhuman primates and domestic farm animals housed at the National Institutes of Health

The management of the animal enrichment program within the National Institutes of health is described. Nonhuman primates are housed in isosexual pairs and groups whenever possible.

Year Published: 1998Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Goat, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Pig, Rabbit, Sheep

Citation: Watson, L. M., Weed, J. L. 1998. Managing the environmental enrichment program for nonhuman primates and domestic farm animals housed at the National Institutes of Health. American Journal of Primatology 45, 211-212 (Abstract).

Effects of prior video stimulation on open-field behaviour in domestic chicks tested with or without a familiar video image

Chickens who receive limited sensory stimulation are more likely to show fearfulness. Regular video stimulation was found to reduce chick's fear of an unfamiliar environment.

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Clarke, C. H., Jones, R. B. 1999. Effects of prior video stimulation on open-field behaviour in domestic chicks tested with or without a familiar video image. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 66, 107-117.

Exploratory behaviour of young domestic fowl

Chickens readily entered areas peripheral to their home pen when these contained objects that were changed daily.

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Newberry, R. C. 1999. Exploratory behaviour of young domestic fowl. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 63, 311-321.

Responses of domestic chicks to selected pecking devices presented for varying durations

Our studies suggest that string [a pecking device] may be an attractive and practicable stimulus that affords chicken the opportunity to exercise a behaviour fundamental to their nature.

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Jones, R. B., Carmichael, N. L. 1999. Responses of domestic chicks to selected pecking devices presented for varying durations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 64, 125-140.