this course is very gainful for any person who is involved in any type of poultry production system directly or indirectly i would instigate all to involve and complete this course.

I found the course excellent, but I was really confused about the fact that the course is talking about welfare and it have no problem to say that 50% of the chicks (male chicks) of the laying chicken breed are just destroyed after hatching, I don't know but I can't find this ethical or logical.

I'm very glad I took this course. I've kept chickens throughout much of my life since childhood and some of the information presented here made me go, "Oh! Now I get it." The course was well structured and presented in an informal yet professional manner that I found appealing. This was one of my first coursera classes so I don't know if it's already offered, but I would love to see this team put together a course on chicken breeds if they haven't already. The only downside to this class was that the last section (slaughter) seemed (to me) a bad note to leave on. Maybe add a bit about bringing in the new batch of chicks or just anything a bit more upbeat. Thanks to everyone involved for a job well done.

I have learned so much from this course that I hadn't even considered before attempting to raise layers. I especially appreciate the tips for rearing free ranged birds in an urban or small yard environment; expressly the difference in approach for broilers opposed to the layers. I will most definitely incorporate the tip about liming into our routine. I've used it in the past as it sweetens the soil and helps for a healthier lawn, but now I know it can help lessen events of worms. Couldn't be happier about the decision to take this class.

Things I really enjoyed about this course: the videos were short and organized around one central topic. The explanations were clear and concise with just enough photos to illustrate a concept. The course began with an explanation of chicken evolution and common behaviors and then those concepts were referenced later in relation to housing and behavior of commercial poultry. I would recommend this course to anyone who works in commercial poultry to better understand animal welfare concepts or to anyone keeping a backyard flock. Well done.

Fantastic, detailed and mindfully planned course serving all those who connect their lives with the chicken ones. Very pleased with professional work performed by a very welcoming lector + finest extra interviews. I'd say that an additional week showing the basics of maintaining a proper small chicken barn or diving a bit deeper into organic chicken farming would make it even more great and useful. Warmest thanks anyway, couldn't help finishing the 5 weeks course in actual 2 - that fascinating it was.

I loved this course. This course covers everything from the fields of study used for behavior to end-of-life situations, including slaughter. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the videos in the last week, as I don’t care to learn how to slaughter these wonderful birds. Well worth the money if you want the certificate. I most appreciated the discussion of incorporating natural behaviors into the commercial raising of chickens and how studies of such behaviors led to the changing of laws.

I learned a lot from this course: what is normal and necessary behavior for chickens, what they require for welfare, EU regulations, how modern farming methods may fall short of providing true welfare, the challenges of transport, what is required for humane culling and slaughter, and how selective breeding based on human convenience can lead to welfare issues for the birds. Most important: I learned a lot about what my two backyard girls need to be happy.

As a seasoned exotic poultry breeder, I honestly didn’t expect to learn much from this but gave it a go anyway. Much to my surprise, I learned a ton and HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to any and all poultry owners, regardless of the size of your flock. Both you and your birds will greatly benefit from this class. It takes a lot of the guess work out of good poultry husbandry. - Noelle Reagan, Native Colors Exotics, Wisconsin, USA

This is an extremely interesting course. Practical material is presented in a straight forward manner. It is excellent to see real life footage of laying and broiler hens and the environment they are kept. This course is useful for those interested in learning more about their backyard chickens and the type of conditions they require. It is also use for those with an interest in animal welfare in general.

A very interesting and very developed course, wth so many concrete details ! Serious study in the depth of chickens life (backyard and commercial). Much useful, to be able to understand chickens, to evaluate their welfare, and then to improve it. I think that, thanks to this course, it's really possible to be a good stock keeper, and to have a happy flock ! Thank you so much for this precious help !

This was brilliant for me as I struggle with reading and a lot of this was done by audio.

I have gained even more knowledge to help me maintain my flock and hope to use this knowledge to progress in the future.

Many thanks to all the staff and teams that made this online course available and flexible.

No doubt ill be back to learn some more :)

I LOVED this course. I don't have chickens, nor do I have much experience with them, but I want to keep them in the future for our own personal egg production (not commercially). This helped me really understand what I'm in for, and helped me understand different parts of poultry anatomy, behavior, and what I need to do to care for them.

The course consisted of a smart alternation between lecture videos, demonstrative videos, interviews and documents. The instructor spoke clearly and at a thoughtful pace and I appreciate how the videos were filmed on-site. The course also provided tips for anyone keeping chickens in a backyard coop.

I enjoyed the fact that the background was the real environment. The material was short and to the point and easy to follow yet offered deeper learning with the extra articles that were offered. I was amazed at some of the statistics and that gave me more appreciation of chickens. Thank you.

The woman who does the lectures for this course is thorough, well spoken, clear, and consistent. I also felt the the course information was relevant and tailored the the needs of the participant. Take it, even if it's just for fun. It wasn't terribly time consuming whatsoever.

Very worthwhile. Great overview of pertinent behavioral, environmental, physiological and biological factors influencing chicken behavior and welfare. Good videos with supplementary materials that added value to the course. Thank you for making this available through MOOC.

Really interesting and easy to follow. I was mostly learning with a view to owning a small backyard flock one day, but even so the information pertaining to commercial operations was important and easy to understand. A lot can be taken from that for a small set-up anyway.

I learned a lot! I only wish that there is a section that focuses solely on keeping chickens in the backyard (comparison of breeds, examples of coops, types of feeds, etc.), although I'm not sure if that would fall under chicken behavior and welfare :) Thank you!

I started this course knowing nothing about caring for chickens and have completed it feeling like I now have the knowledge required to properly care for a flock. I have also answered some of my friends questions, leading to the improvement of their flocks lives.

Excellent information on how chickens see the world and interact, the problems that can occur when keeping them and how to resolve these problems. Also the stark reality of modern farming. Recommended and required knowledge for all chicken owners and consumers.

Second time taking the course. It's that good. Practical information and very well presented. I have put into practice (for my backyard flock) many of the practices covered. Videos great, reading material great, recommended book a super reference. Thanks!

If you are looking for very a very detailed knowledge about behaviour this is not what you are looking for, but if you want to have the general idea to start to get involved deeper in poultry farming is ideal, although it is perfect to start a backyard flock.

The course is very easy to follow and informative. The advice I received was timely and clear, so my learning experience here made it so easy. The course structure was very good, and the videos were helpful. The instructor is clear on her explanation.

I have a small flock of backyard chickens. I found your course to be very informative. I also felt that I could trust what I was reading, instead of relying on word of mouth and the internet. My hens thank you for educating their keeper.