Pecking preferences and pre-dispositions in domestic chicks: implications for the development of environmental enrichment devices

Jones, Robert B.; Carmichael, Nina L; Rayner, Emma

doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(00)00138-6

Cited by 62 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Although layer chicks have been shown to be interested in, and peck at, bunches of string (Jones et al, 2000), this did not appear to be the case in previous research conducted under experimental conditions with broiler chickens . However, results of the current study suggest that the chickens were interested in string, with a bout of Influence of perches and string on broiler chicken welfare pecking occurring approximately every 78 s at each piece of string.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

The influence of providing perches and string on activity levels, fearfulness and leg health in commercial broiler chickens

Bailie¹,

O’Connell²

2015

Animal

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The aim of this study was to assess the effect of providing environmental enrichment in the form of perches and string on the behaviour and welfare of commercial broiler chickens. Houses containing~23 000 broiler chickens were assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Treatments involved two levels of access to perches (P) (present (24/house) ' +P' or absent ' −P') and two levels of access to string (S) (present (24/house) ' +S' or absent ' −S'). All houses contained windows, and 30 straw bales were provided from day 10 of the rearing cycle. Treatments were applied in one of four houses on a single farm, and were replicated over four production cycles. Behaviour and leg health were observed in weeks 3 to 5 of the rearing cycle. Production performance and environmental parameters were also measured. There was an interaction between perches and age in the percentage of birds observed lying, with higher percentages of birds observed lying in the +P treatment than in the −P treatment during weeks 4 and 5. There was also a significant interaction between string and age in the percentage of birds observed in locomotion, with higher percentages observed in locomotion in the −S treatment than in the +S treatment during weeks 4 and 5. There was also an interaction between string and age in average gait scores, with lower gait scores in the +S treatment than in the −S treatment during weeks 3 and 5 but not within week 4. Daytime observations showed that perches and strings were used frequently, with one bout of perching occurring approximately every 80 s/perch, and one bout of pecking at string occurring every 78 s/string on average. There was a significant effect of age on use of perches (P < 0.001) and string (P < 0.001), with perching peaking during week 5 and string pecking peaking during week 3. We conclude that commercial broilers in windowed houses with access to straw bales display an interest in additional enrichment stimuli in the form of perches and string, and therefore that these stimuli have the potential to improve welfare. In addition, provision of string as a pecking device appeared to positively influence walking ability. However, this effect was numerically small, was only shown in certain weeks and was not reflected in the other leg health measure (latency to lie). The results also showed an apparent negative effect of string and perches on the activity levels of birds (recorded away from the immediate vicinity of these enrichments) towards the end of the production cycle. These results emphasise the need for further research into optimum design and layout of enrichment stimuli for modern broilers in windowed houses to ensure that their provision leads to clear welfare benefits.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

The influence of providing perches and string on activity levels, fearfulness and leg health in commercial broiler chickens

Bailie¹,

O’Connell²

2015

Animal

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“…Enrichments objects (mirrors and balls) were suspended from overhead wires in such a way that they dangled from the pen ceiling (Jones et al, 2000). Objects at 30 cm from the ground were suspended by 5 cm upgrade in each week at the end of the 42 th day.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of Environmental Enrichment on Some Physiological and Behavioral Parameters of Broiler Chicks

Yıldırım

Taşkın

2017

Rev. Bras. Cienc. Avic.

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This study aims to examine the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) practices on some physiological and behavioral parameters of broiler chicks. A total of 280 one-day old Ross 308 mixed-sex broiler chicks with an average initial body weight of 44.5±0.37 g were used in a 42-d trial. Broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 20 pens composed of 14 birds in 1x1.4m sized floor area. Each of the EE treatment consisted of 5 replicate pens (70 chickens per treatment). The treatments were 1) control; 2) perch for EE; 3) ball for EE; 4) mirror for EE; and 5) dust for EE. Final body weights, tonic immobility test results, and rectal temperatures were recorded. Spleen, liver, and bursa fabricius weights were measured. The blood biochemistry of birds was analyzed at the end of the experiment. Besides, gait score test was applied on the 42 nd day of experiment. Body weight gain, lymphoid organ weights and rectal temperature values of broilers were not affected by EE treatments on the 21 st and 42 nd days of the study. At the end of the study, WBC values, tonic immobility values and gait scores of the control groups were found higher than those of the EE groups. HCT and PLT values of the ball groups were found lower than the other groups, concluding that EE improved the welfare of birds.

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“…Four enrichments objects were suspended from overhead wires such that they dangled from the cage ceiling (Jones et al, 2000). Object's properties are as follows: Ball: a red ball is made of plastic, with a diameter of 40 millimeters.…”

Section: Materials and Methods Animal Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of environmental enrichment objects on behaviors of Japanese quails at different cage stocking densities

Taşkın

Karadavut

2016

IJAR

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The aim of this study is to investigate the behaviors of and monitor the changes on behaviors of Japanese quails reared in different stocking density, through using different objects, (small red balls, bunch of rope, mirrors and beads) providing environmental enrichment (EE) in the cages of quails. Six hundred of 1 day old Japanese quail chicks (mixed sex) were used in this study. Birds were reared in battery cages with four floors, each of which has two separations. The quails were placed in cage dimension in the quantities of 10 quails (lower density: LD) and of 20 quails (higher density: HD) per separation. Our hypothesis was that EE would improve the welfare of quails. The birds were observed in their cages naturally in accordance with one-zero sampling, and home cage avoidance test was performed for these birds. While the applications have significant effect on feeding and relaxation behaviors (P<0.05 levels) in LD environment, the effect of comfort, social and other behaviors was realized at P<0.01 levels in the same environment. However in HD environment, only rest behavior was affected significantly in P<0.05 level, the other properties were affected in P<0.01 levels. The live weights weren't affected from EE (for LD, P=0.134 and for HD P=0.216). It was determined in the result of this study that the objects hung in the quail cages had potential effect to improve the welfare of quails.

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Pecking preferences and pre-dispositions in domestic chicks: implications for the development of environmental enrichment devices

Cited by 62 publications

References 40 publications

The influence of providing perches and string on activity levels, fearfulness and leg health in commercial broiler chickens

The influence of providing perches and string on activity levels, fearfulness and leg health in commercial broiler chickens

The effects of Environmental Enrichment on Some Physiological and Behavioral Parameters of Broiler Chicks

The effects of environmental enrichment objects on behaviors of Japanese quails at different cage stocking densities

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