Chicken Behavioral Biology

Behavioral Biology of Chickens

• Encompasses natural instincts, social structures, communication, and environmental interactions.
• Understanding these aspects is key for effective poultry management, welfare, and productivity.

Social Behavior

• Chickens are social animals that thrive in groups, forming hierarchies within flocks.
• Pecking order defines social ranking, where dominant birds have priority access to resources.
• Males, especially roosters, showcase territorial behavior by defending their space and hens.

Communication

• Vocalizations serve specific purposes like warning calls, food calls, and maternal clucking.
• Body language, including wing flapping (dominance), feather puffing (defense/mating), and crouching (submission), is employed.

Foraging and Feeding Behavior

• In free-range settings, chickens spend time scratching for food, including insects, seeds, and greens.
• Dominant chickens eat first in the feeding hierarchy.

Reproductive and Parental Behavior

• Roosters use courtship displays like tidbitting and wing-dragging to attract hens.
• Broodiness is when hens sit on eggs until they hatch, regardless of fertilization.
• Mother hens teach chicks to forage and protect themselves.

Roosting and Sleeping Behavior

• Chickens prefer elevated perches for sleeping, which helps them avoid predators.
• Circadian rhythm influences activity, with foraging during the day and sleeping at night.

Aggression and Defense

• Roosters and hens may fight to establish rank.
• When threatened, chickens use alarm calls, flight, hiding, or pecking for defense.

Dust Bathing and Preening

• Dust bathing removes parasites, maintains feather condition, and regulates body temperature.
• Preening involves using beaks to distribute oils for clean and waterproof feathers.

Learning and Memory

• Imprinting leads chicks to recognize and follow their caregiver after hatching.
• Associative learning enables chickens to remember individuals, recognize faces, and learn from the environment.

Social Structure and Hierarchy (Pecking Order)

• Dominance and submission relationships determine access to food, water, nesting sites, and perches.
• Understanding the pecking order is crucial for poultry management, affecting well-being, productivity, and behavior.

Understanding the Pecking Order

• Established through physical and behavioral interactions like pecking and aggressive posturing.
• The hierarchy includes dominant birds, middle-ranking birds, and submissive birds.
• Dominant birds (Alpha Chickens) are older, stronger, control the flock, and have access to better resources.
• Middle-ranking Birds follow dominants but may assert dominance over lower-ranked members.
• Submissive Birds (Lowest Rank) are the weakest or youngest, last to eat, and may face bullying.
• Hierarchy is dynamic and changes with the removal or introduction of dominant birds.

How the Pecking Order Forms

• Natural selection starts early, with chicks forming hierarchies within weeks.
• Physical strength and assertiveness correlate with dominance.
• Older and larger birds usually dominate younger ones.
• Breed differences affect hierarchy dynamics, with some breeds being more docile/aggressive.

Impact on Poultry Management

• Dominant birds eating first can cause submissive birds to experience malnutrition if food access is limited, provide multiple feeding stations to solve the issue.
• Higher-ranked birds get better roosting and nesting spots, provide enough of these to solve the issue.
• Overcrowding increases aggression and feather pecking, maintain proper stocking density.
• Introducing new birds can disrupt the hierarchy; introduce them gradually using a separate enclosure.
• Injuries from pecking can lead to infections, monitor aggression and treat injured birds.
• Stress from aggression and competition can reduce egg-laying rates, provide an enriched environment with distractions.

Practical Management Strategies

• Provide at least 1.5-2 square feet per bird in coops and 8-10 square feet in runs for adequate space.
• Use multiple feed and water stations to prevent dominant birds from controlling access.
• Provide environmental enrichment using perches, dust baths, and foraging materials.
• Remove excessively aggressive birds.
• Gradually introduce new birds to prevent sudden disruptions in the hierarchy.

Behavioral Indicators of Stress, Discomfort, and Well-being

• Recognizing chicken behavior is crucial for assessing health, welfare, and productivity.
• Key adjustments improve flock conditions when stress and discomfort are spotted.

Indicators of Stress

• Stress negatively affects growth, egg production, and overall health.
• Aggressive behaviors include excessive pecking, feather pecking, cannibalism, chasing, and bullying.
• Abnormal vocalizations are loud, frequent distress calls and high-pitched, continuous clucking.
• Reduced activity or lethargy includes huddling in warm weather and unwillingness to move.
• Changes in feeding/drinking include decreased feed intake and excessive drinking.
• Abnormal postures and movements include wing spreading, panting, and trembling.

Indicators of Discomfort

• Discomfort arises when environmental conditions are suboptimal.
• Avoidance and fear responses include running from handlers and frequent hiding.
• Feather loss and poor plumage include bald patches and dirty feathers.
• Overcrowding signs include difficulty accessing feed and excessive competition at feeders.
• Nesting and roosting issues include avoiding nesting boxes and sleeping on the floor.

Indicators of Well-being

• A healthy, well-managed flock displays normal social interactions, active behavior, good feather condition, normal vocalizations, healthy feeding, and proper roosting.
• Normal social interactions involve stable pecking orders and group activities.
• Active behavior includes exploring the environment, scratching, foraging, and responding to stimuli.
• Good feather condition is indicated by smooth, clean, and well-preened feathers.
• Normal vocalizations involve soft clucking and normal rooster crowing.
• Healthy feeding patterns involve regular eating and interest in offered food.
• Proper roosting behavior means hens lay eggs in nesting boxes and birds perch at night.

Management Tips to Promote Well-being

• Provide adequate space of 1.5-2 sq ft per bird in coops and 8-10 sq ft in runs.
• Minimize stressors like sudden changes, loud noises, and predator threats.
• Ensure balanced nutrition to prevent feather pecking and health problems.
• Maintain proper lighting and ventilation.
• Handle birds gently.

Housing Design Based on Chicken Behavior

• Poultry housing should mimic natural conditions for comfort, protection, and productivity.
• Chickens prefer well-ventilated, spacious environments.
• Separate areas are used for nesting, perching, and foraging.
• Multiple exits and access points prevent bullying.
• Round perches (4–5 cm diameter) prevent foot injuries.
• 20 cm (8 inches) of perch space per bird prevents competition.
• Hens prefer dim, quiet nesting spaces.
• One nest box per 4-5 hens minimizes stress.
• Use soft bedding materials to encourage nest use.
• Good airflow reduces ammonia buildup; proper lighting supports egg production.

Stocking Density and its Effect

• Stocking density affects stress, health, and productivity; overcrowding leads to aggression.

Recommended Stocking Densities

Negative Effects of Overcrowding

• Increased Aggression: Leads to pecking and fighting.
• Feather Pecking and Cannibalism: Caused by stress and limited space.
• Poor Growth and Egg Production: Reduced nutritional intake.
• Higher Disease Spread: Close contact increases infections.

Solutions for Stocking Density Issues

• Provide enough feeding and drinking stations.
• Use partitions to create smaller flock groups.
• Implement multi-level housing systems.

Enrichment Strategies to Enhance Chicken Welfare

• Improves productivity by promoting natural behaviors and reducing stress.
• Foraging and Scratching: Provide pecking blocks, grains, or grass clippings.
• Dust Bathing Areas: Supply loose substrate like sand, dirt, or wood ash.
• Perches and Multi-Level Space: Reduces stress, prevent floor eggs, and improve foot health Nesting Enrichment: Add soft materials and keep boxes in quiet areas.
• Social and Visual Barriers: Use barriers and hiding spaces to reduce bullying.
• Objects for Exploration: Use hanging cabbages or mirrors to encourage curiosity.

Benefits of Behavior-Based Housing

• Reduce aggression and stress.
• Improve egg production and growth.
• Improve better health and reduce disease risk.
• Increase productivity and profitability.

Theoretical Foundations of Poultry Production

• Theory is based on biological, environmental, and economic principles.

Biological Principles

• Genetics and Breeding: Selective breeding for desirable traits.
• Physiology and Growth: Optimize feed efficiency.
• Behavioral Biology: Study natural behaviors.

Environmental Management

• Housing and Climate Control: Influence growth and productivity.
• Waste Management: Reduce pollution and disease.

Economic and Business Considerations

• Production Costs vs. Profitability: Maximize returns.
• Market Demand and Trends: Consider consumer preferences.

Practical Aspects of Poultry Production

• Daily farm operations maintain flock health and productivity.

Poultry Housing Systems

• Cage System: Common for layers
• Deep Litter System: Uses bedding material.
• Free-range and Pasture-raised: Improves welfare.

Feeding and Nutrition

• Starter, Grower, and Finisher Diets: Different nutritional requirements at each growth stage.
• Balanced Diet: Includes protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals.
• Feed Additives: Enhance digestion and disease resistance.

Reproduction and Breeding Management

• Artificial Incubation: Hatches chicks efficiently.
• Natural vs. Artificial Insemination: AI is common for genetic improvement.
• Brooding Management: Provide heat, water, and feed for newly hatched chicks.

Poultry Health and Biosecurity

• Disease Prevention: Use vaccination and sanitation.
• Common Diseases: Know Newcastle disease and avian influenza.
• Parasite Control: Manage internal and external parasites.

Egg Collection and Handling

• Regular Egg Collection: Prevents contamination.
• Proper Storage Conditions: Maintains freshness.

Meat Processing and Marketing

• Slaughtering and Processing: Adhere to humane handling standards.
• Packaging and Distribution: Provide quality control.

Key Techniques in Poultry Production

Housing and Environmental Control Techniques

• Automated Climate Control Systems: Regulate temperature, humidity, and airflow.
• Ventilation Management: Prevent respiratory diseases.
• Lighting Programs: Control growth rate.

Feeding Techniques

• Feed Formulation Software: Optimize diet.
• Phase Feeding: Adjust diet compostion.
• Precision Feeding: Automated feeders reduce waste.

Disease Prevention and Health Management

• Vaccination Programs: Prevent major viral and bacterial diseases.
• Strict Biosecurity Measures: Include footbaths and restricted farm entry.
• Early Disease Detection: Monitor behavior, feed intake, and droppings.

Breeding and Reproduction Techniques

• Hybrid Breeding Programs: Use crossbreeding for growth and yield.
• Fertility Testing in Breeders: Ensure high hatchability rates.
• Use of Artificial Incubators: Control temperature, humidity, and optimal hatching.

Egg Handling and Processing Techniques

• Grading and Sorting: Categorize eggs by size and quality.
• Washing and Disinfection: Reduce contamination risks.
• Cold Storage Facilities: Maintain freshness.

Meat Processing Techniques

• Pre-slaughter Handling: Reduce stress.
• Evisceration and Processing Automation: Ensure efficiency and hygiene.
• Quality Control and Packaging: Extend shelf life and meet market standards.

Poultry production integrates scientific principles, applications, and modern techniques for productivity, welfare, and economic success.