Evans Lauren, Brooks George C, Anderson Mallory G, Campbell Andrew M, Jacobs Leonie
Virginia Tech, School of Animal Sciences, 175 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Virginia Tech, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, 310 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2023 Jun 23;13(13):2074. doi: 10.3390/ani13132074.
The objective was to evaluate the impacts of a complex environment and stocking density on Ross 708 broiler chicken behaviors. Eight pens contained either high complexity (HC) or low complexity (LC) environments, and high (HD) or low (LD) density. Through focal-animal sampling, the frequency and duration of behaviors were recorded continuously for 5 min at two timepoints for one day in weeks 2, 4, and 7. Birds were active for 30% of the observed time, with birds showing more activity in HC compared with LC. Birds in HC pens spent more time preening and foraging than birds in LC pens, which was interpreted as a positive outcome. Dustbathing and play were not impacted by complexity, possibly due to the observation method. Birds were more frequently active at HD compared with LD, but did not spend more time being active, suggesting disturbances. Birds foraged, drank, and ate less frequently in HD compared with LD, presumably because birds had more difficulty accessing resources. Activity and active behaviors reduced as birds aged, while preening frequency increased, possibly due to frustration, but this was not confirmed. Perching was unaffected by age, showing a persistent motivation to perform the behavior. Our results indicate that a complex environment provides positive stimulation for foraging, locomotion, preening, and overall activity. Despite reduced activity, many benefits of the tested environmental complexity and low density persisted as birds aged.
目的是评估复杂环境和饲养密度对罗斯708肉鸡行为的影响。八个鸡舍分别设置为高复杂度（HC）或低复杂度（LC）环境，以及高（HD）或低（LD）密度。通过焦点动物取样，在第2、4和7周的某一天的两个时间点，连续5分钟记录行为的频率和持续时间。在观察时间的30%内，鸡处于活跃状态，与LC环境相比，HC环境中的鸡表现出更多的活动。HC鸡舍中的鸡比LC鸡舍中的鸡花更多时间梳理羽毛和觅食，这被认为是一个积极的结果。沙浴和玩耍不受环境复杂度的影响，可能是由于观察方法的原因。与LD相比，HD环境中的鸡更频繁地活跃，但活跃时间并没有更长，这表明存在干扰。与LD相比，HD环境中的鸡觅食、饮水和进食的频率更低，可能是因为鸡获取资源更困难。随着鸡龄增长，活动和活跃行为减少，而梳理羽毛的频率增加，可能是由于受挫，但这并未得到证实。栖息不受年龄影响，表现出持续的行为动机。我们的结果表明，复杂环境为觅食、运动、梳理羽毛和整体活动提供了积极的刺激。尽管活动减少，但随着鸡龄增长，所测试的环境复杂度和低密度的许多益处仍然存在。
