INFLUENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF 3-DAY-OLD CHICKENS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF MEAT AND EGG-TYPE POSTHATCH COUNTERPARTS

The effect of 3-day-old 'guides' of broiler or White Leghorn type chickens on posthatch behaviour (eating, drinking, standing and sitting), growth rate and livability was measured in broiler and Leghorn type chickens. Four trials were conducted. One trial was in cages and three were on a litter floor. Although the guides did not influence the behaviour of either breed in cages, growth of the broilers, but not of Leghorns, was depressed by the presence of broiler guides. In floor experiments, the presence of guides of both breeds increased ingestive behaviour (eating and drinking), with reduced growth of broilers reared with broiler guides, consistent with that observed in cages. Whereas in unstressed chickens vitality was not affected by the guides, cold stressing of Leghorn chickens in the hatcher most markedly increased the positive effect of the guides on ingestive behaviour, vitality and growth rate. Responses of the posthatched chickens to 3-day-old guides were dependent on housing, management, genetic breed and stressful settings.