This course explains the general principles of chicken behaviour and welfare, and the behavioural and physiological indicators that can be used to assess welfare in chickens kept in hobby flocks through to commercial farms. The focus is primarily on laying hens and meat chickens (broilers) although many of the principles are relevant to other types of poultry. The course is likely to be of interest to people who own chickens as pets or keep a small hobby flock, commercial egg and chicken meat producers, veterinarians and vet nurses.
Learning Objectives: at the end of this course, you will be able to -
- Describe avian sensory perception and motivation
- Explain the main behaviour patterns of poultry
- Define welfare and explain the bases of welfare standards
- Assess chicken welfare, using behavioural and physiological means
- Understand common welfare problems of chickens
This course is taught by staff from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), University of Glasgow, and St David's Poultry Team.
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Chicken Behaviour and Welfare
proposé par
The University of Edinburgh
Programme du cours : ce que vous apprendrez dans ce cours
Semaine
1Getting Started
This brief module will tell you all the things you need to know to begin, including the syllabus of the course, who we are, how to engage with one another.
2 vidéos (Total 8 min), 1 lecture
2 vidéos
Rules of engagement (from Animal Behaviour & Welfare course)6 min
1 lecture
Finding more information10 min
Introduction to Animal Behaviour: Domestication, Behaviour Development and Learning, the Senses
Welcome to the first week of the Chicken Behaviour and Welfare Course. If you haven't seen it - watch the video which introduces you to the course: you can find it under "Getting Started; Welcome!" During this lesson, we will consider what makes a domestic animal, how behaviour develops in the chicken from before hatching and beyond, different types of learning and the senses - vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch.
13 vidéos (Total 28 min), 5 lectures, 1 quiz
13 vidéos
What is behaviour?1 min
What is a chicken?1 min
Domestication1 min
Prehatch and hatching1 min
Imprinting2 min
Other types of learning3 min
Hormones and Behaviour52s
Motivation4 min
Vision2 min
Hearing1 min
Taste1 min
Smell and Touch2 min
Interview with Sarah Brocklehurst3 min
5 lectures
What is a chicken? Some images10 min
Smithsonian's How the chicken conquered the world.10 min
Learning who is your mother10 min
Exercise: how operant conditioning works10 min
Article on vision10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Domestication, Development and Learning, the Senses30 min
Semaine
2Behaviour Patterns of Chickens, Part 1
During this week, we will consider some of the major behaviour patterns of chickens, such as maintenance behaviours of chickens, and social behaviours. Maintenance behaviours means feeding, drinking, and comfort activities. Comfort activities include preening, dustbathing, and perching (among others). Social behaviours include communication, dominance, aggression, and spacing. This week will be a combination of video lectures, in-video quizzes and an interview with a backyard producer.
12 vidéos (Total 32 min), 4 lectures, 1 quiz
12 vidéos
Feeding Behaviour1 min
History Of Feeding, Contrafreeloading3 min
Motivation To Show Feeding Phases1 min
Broiler Feeding Behaviour1 min
Drinking Behaviour3 min
Preening And Dustbathing4 min
Perching1 min
Stretching, Wing Flapping, Thermoregulation, Sleeping3 min
Communication3 min
Dominance Behaviour, Aggression, Bird-to-bird Pecking5 min
Social Spacing1 min
4 lectures
Article on feed choice in chickens10 min
Drinking from a nipple drinker or dish10 min
Distinction between preening, and oiling + preening10 min
Aggression between males10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Behaviour part 130 min
Semaine
3Behaviour Patterns of Chickens, Part 2
Welcome back everyone! During this week, we will consider the reproduction process in chickens, from courtship to brooding and hatching of eggs. We will then look at some abnormal behaviours that you might see in chickens. This week will be a combination of video lectures, in-video quizzes, video clips from outside sources, and a downloadable poster on eggshell abnormality.
12 vidéos (Total 40 min), 6 lectures, 1 quiz
12 vidéos
Courtship54s
Mating Behaviour2 min
Nesting and Laying Behaviour2 min
Brooding Behaviour2 min
Problems With Nesting And Laying Behaviour4 min
Interview With Johnny - Breeding And Preparing For The Show Ring5 min
Interview With Derek - Small-scale Commercial Broiler Incubation And Hatching9 min
Feather Pecking And Cannibalism6 min
Stereotypic Behaviours1 min
Overdrinking (polydipsia)1 min
Litter Eating58s
6 lectures
Transcript for interview with Johnny - Breeding and preparing for the show ring10 min
Hens that go broody10 min
How to assess developing embryos in eggs10 min
Egg shell abnormalities10 min
Egg eating10 min
Different types of feather pecking10 min
1 exercice pour s'entraîner
Behaviour part 228 min
Semaine
4What is chicken welfare? Defining "welfare", ethical obligations, and welfare standards
During this week, we will consider what we mean by "animal welfare", and how a set of criteria known as the Five Freedoms can help you assess it. Dr Dorothy McKeegan from the University of Glasgow will discuss what the ethical obligations are of meeting an animal's welfare needs, and we will explore some of the various welfare standards that exist. Finally, we will look at welfare indicators, and Dr Barry Thorp from St David's Veterinary Team will discuss with Vicky what signs to look for in chicken flocks to make a welfare assessment. This week's Learning Outcomes: •Define 'welfare' and the Five Freedoms •What drives our ethical choices, including cost-benefit analysis •Describe some welfare standards available worldwide and how they differ •Explain ways to assess welfare, using behavioural and physiological indices
5 vidéos (Total 16 min), 3 lectures, 2 quiz
5 vidéos
Ethics and Poultry Production4 min
Welfare Organisations and Accreditation Schemes2 min
Effects of Stressors1 min
Assessing Welfare: Behavioural and Physiological Measures5 min
3 lectures
Ruth Harrison10 min
Article on a 'good life' for hens10 min
Welfare accreditation schemes10 min
2 exercices pour s'entraîner
Welfare, ethics, welfare standards24 min
A Life Worth Living Exercise (just for fun)6 min
4.7
131 avisMeilleurs avis
par CL•Oct 7th 2016
Fantastic course if you're just starting out in the world of chickens. I feel that I gained vital knowledge which has boosted my confidence in my abilities as a back garden hen keeper.
par AS•Jun 9th 2016
I found this course to be very informative for those who are beginning to learn about chickens or would like to expand their knowledge to improve conditions for their backyard flock.
Enseignant
Dr Victoria Sandilands
Senior scientistAvian Science Research Centre, SRUC
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