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 chic kens on posthatch behaviour (eating, drinking, standing and sitting), growth rate and livability was measured in broiler and Leghorn type ch ickens. Four trials were conducted. One trial was in cages and three w ere on a litter floor. Although the guides did not influence the behav iour of either breed in cages, growth of the broilers, but not of Legh orns, was depressed by the presence of broiler guides. In floor experi ments, the presence of guides of both breeds increased ingestive behav iour (eating and drinking), with reduced growth of broilers reared wit h broiler guides, consistent with that observed in cages. Whereas in u nstressed chickens vitality was not affected by the guides, cold stres sing of Leghorn chickens in the hatcher most markedly increased the po sitive effect of the guides on ingestive behaviour, vitality and growt h rate. Responses of the posthatched chickens to 3-day-old guides were dependent on housing, management, genetic breed and stressful setting s.