Poultry by Alex Kjellesvik https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6 A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg! 🐔 en-us 2019-01-18 17:37:03 UTC 2025-08-18 16:49:28 UTC hello@padlet.com Poultry(Post #1) ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322269271 This is a group of free range chickens.]]> 2019-01-18 18:51:44 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322269271 Why I chose this species(Post #2) ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322283986 I picked poultry because I want to have them on my farm one day.  There is also nothing better than farm fresh eggs.  One thing nice about chickens is that they can be very low maintenance compared to other animal species.  I became first interested in poultry when a good family friend currently has about 50 of them.  Since, I was a farm hand for them I got to work directly with these chickens and take care of them daily.  Some of these breeds included: Sussex, Cochin, Plymouth Rock, Silkie, and Rhode Island Red.  I got to see which hens produced the most eggs and the behavior of free-range chickens.  This is one of the hot topics in the poultry industry, which is Free range vs. caged chickens, that I have learned all about.  ]]> 2019-01-18 19:21:54 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322283986 Post #3 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324164 This article is testing the hypothesis: Genetic Variation of Poultry in response to social stress is more likely to be susceptible to disease. The researchers took specific aggressive roosters from the inbred line to measure aggressiveness. They took each male pair from the genetic line and marked level of aggression. Then
you could see how specific genes in the genetic line may caused low/high aggressive behavior.

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]]> 2019-01-18 21:31:32 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324164 Post #4 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324214 This is one behavioral heritability problem poultry farmers face, which is called feather plucking or feather pulling. This is commonly seen to a lot of caged chickens because of many factors like not enough foraging, genetics, large flock sizes, social isolation, and can even lead to cannibalism. On the economic side, feather plucking can be series to poultry farmers. Hens tend not to produce as much eggs if any at all when being feather plucked by others. The 
production of eggs are the main concern at a commercial poultry farm. ]]> 2019-01-18 21:31:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324214 Post #5 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324336  
This example I found is similar to the one in our book. A sensitive period for chicks is right after hatching they follow their mother around known as filial imprinting. In this article, after the chicks hatch they get an option to go to the rotating adult stuffed fowl or a rotating red box. Since these chicks were just born they went to the stimuli they were familiar with, which is the adult stuffed fowl.




Work Cited:
Johnson, M. H., et al. “Predispositions and Learning: Behavioural Dissociations in the Chick.” Animal Behaviour, vol. 44, no. pt.5, Nov. 1992, pp. 943–948. EBSCOhost, libproxy.lib.ilstu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=agr&AN=IND93028246&site=ehost-live&scope=site. ]]> 2019-01-18 21:32:21 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/322324336 Post # 6 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329417400 This is an article that shows operant conditioning of chickens. The scientists in the article test the reactions of chickens to an unexpected downshift of reward(less quality of feed in their runaway apparatus). The
16 chickens were given flavored food(less preferred), which would be a negative reinforcement instead of what there use to being a positive reinforcement. The chickens got to choose(voluntary response) whether or not they ate the flavored food(stimulus). The direct effect of the response to the food was that the chickens food consumption decreased and heart rate increased.(a neg punishment






Works Cited:
Davies, Anna C., et al. “Effect of Reward Downshift on the Behaviour and Physiology of Chickens.” Animal Behaviour, vol. 105, July 2015, pp. 21–28. EBSCOhost, doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.lib.ilstu.edu/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.04.005.
]]> 2019-02-08 21:29:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329417400 Post #7 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329421722 Chickens learn to use there beaks and wings to fight off predators. This article relates to removal of trimming of beaks, which takes away from chickens learning where they fit into the flock. Chickens use there beaks to peck at the environment and to be able to eat their food. Debeaking makes foraging very difficult and the chickens can no longer regularly preen their feathers. Yes, it would take away from chickens learning how to explore the environment because debeaking is known to have the effect of skittish chickens. 
Works Cited
Freire, R., et al. “Minor Beak Trimming in Chickens Leads to Loss of Mechanoreception and Magnetoreception.” Journal of Animal Science, vol. 89, no. 4, Apr. 2011, pp. 1201–1206. EBSCOhost, libproxy.lib.ilstu.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=agr&AN=IND44509157&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

]]> 2019-02-08 21:52:25 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329421722 Post #8 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329427131 This is a free range poultry facility. Positive reinforcements for chickens mostly are giving them feed along with their pasture. You can give chickens treats like apples, bananas, breads, berries, cabbage, carrots, and those are just a few. You can even break open fresh straw bales as a positive reinforcement to stay away from the building. Punishments might be beak trimming, not giving them fresh feed or snacks. Even changing up the routine maybe you give them feed at 8am instead give it to them at 9am as a negative punishment. Chickens are known to love routine.]]> 2019-02-08 22:26:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/329427131 Post #9 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/332414202 Chickens communicate with others by using the four sensory modalities.(visual, auditory, tactile, chemical/smell) Auditory: One auditory example I can think of is how roosters crow "cock-a-doodle-do" when they become sexually mature. This is a territorial signal to other roosters or chickens. Another auditory is like when hens make a clucking/growling sound toward another chicken. They ware usually laying 
on their egg and this is a warning signal to leave them alone. I also have heard hens make a humming noise when nesting which indicates content fulness/happiness to other chickens. Some other ones may be young chirping when born, and squawking as an aggressive behavior.  Visual: Example, If a hen or rooster starts flapping their wings and moving vastly away this would indicate aggressiveness towards the predator. Another one would be when the the whole flock is underneath trees, bushes all closely together this would indicate bad weather(rain/thunderstorm) is coming. Another good example, one rooster starts circling another and begins to raise his neck feathers and point wings to ground. This 
 indicates unhappiness and the two roosters would be fighting for dominance.  Tactile: An example, when they peck/scratch at another feathers or body this indicates anger. Another example, is when you see a chicken or a hen squatting as a rooster jumps on her back. Squatting is a defense mechanism and a way for chickens to prove dominance.  Chemical/Smell:  One example, when chickens smell like dust this indicates they were taking a dust bath to clean their feathers. They smell there way around when foraging and can sense when food has gone bad. Another example, is chickens know when other roosters or chickens have been attacked by the smell of their raw skin/blood on them. ]]> 2019-02-18 17:59:46 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/332414202 Post #10 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336626532

]]> 2019-02-28 20:16:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336626532 Padlet #11 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336626643 Poultry in general show many different kinds of agonistic behavior. Majority of the time their agonistic behaviors have to do with seeking dominance in pecking order. When poultry are first put together in an area they show all different types of behavior. For example, there are many aggressive acts chickens show by leaping, wing flapping, sparring, and the main one pecking.  This picture showing the rooster to the right with his wings out attacking the other rooster. He also has his head forward going to peck at the other one's head as an aggressive act. The rooster to the right is about to establish dominance in his pecking order. The two rooster's are also making loud screeching sounds as a sign of aggressive behavior.  ]]> 2019-02-28 20:17:00 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336626643 Post #12 Dominance Hierarchy ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336683339 Work Cited:
1. I used my Principles and Applications of domestic animal behavior book by
2. Edward O. Price.
Chase, I. D. (1982). Behavioral sequences during dominance hierarchy formation in chickens. Science, 216(4544), 439–440. 
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]]> 2019-02-28 23:26:11 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/336683339 Post #13 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/339070030 Commonly observed male sexual behavior in poultry is shown in this picture below. A rooster will show courtship behavior toward a hen by circling a hen doing like a chicken dance. He will do that and then lower his left wing towards the ground and then when the hen is close enough he will jump on her back to mate with her. ]]> 2019-03-07 20:01:44 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/339070030 Post #14 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/339131439  This video shows how female chickens show sexual behavior toward a rooster. Start at 0.27 seconds in video and you will see rooster showing sexual interest to this specific hen. This hen slowly moves while the rooster is doing his courtship behavior. Then suddenly the hen crouches down for the rooster to jump on her back to mate. ]]> 2019-03-07 23:54:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/339131439 Post #14 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012489 There are many maternal behaviors that poultry mother's show following birth. Mother hens show many different types of maternal behaviors after birth. Three of these behaviors are: 1. Hens are known for their broodiness following birth. They will immediately start forming that filial bond with their chicks. They do this by teaching 
their chicks their specific vocalizations. This includes maternal feeding call, distress call, and to the hens "purring" sound. 2. The mother is very protective over her young, so she will stay very close to her them. She will get in front of them if she sense danger or sees a predator. 3. The mother will show guidance by teaching the young what food is edible and non edible. She provides that positive stimuli to enhance the bond. You will see the young following her everywhere.




















]]> 2019-04-05 17:07:46 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012489 Post #15 ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012673 Three neonatal behaviors you will see chicks do following birth: 1. They will stand and start chirping since they are a precocial species. They also will quickly Imprint on their mother following birth. They also look for warmth. You may see the mother lift her wing, so her baby chicks can get warm. 2. They will be hungry and thirsty, so they will look to their mother. They will
let their mother guide them to appropriate food and water source. You will see the mother vocalizing to them, so they chirp back. They form this social bond between one another. 3. You will see chicks following their mother wherever she goes. They look to her for protectiveness from predators. They will run behind her if scared.  ]]> 2019-04-05 17:08:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012673 Post #16 Normal Ingestive Behaviors of Poultry ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012715 To start, poultry have a digestive system that includes; a crop, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, ceca, and large intestine. This gizzard they use to grind down there food since they have no teeth. They get grit while out foraging or in sometimes feed, which is stored in the gizzard. This grit is very important in chickens diets.  Anyhow, chickens water consumption and feed intake have a direct relationship. When placing feeders poultry need about 3 inches linear space per bird. They will eat to fulfill energy needs as they grow. Placing waterers they need about 1 inch space per bird. They need constant access to food and water. They drink about 0.08-0.16 gal/day in warm weather, so may need to refill waterer a few times. In terms of Commercial Poultry, the top two types of birds we see are broiler and layer chickens. Broilers are used for meat production, so their diet is nutrient dense to support growth. Your starters: high Crude Protein 22-24% at 0-3 weeks of age, Growers: 3-6 weeks 20-22% crude protein, and then finisher 6+ weeks with 18-20% crude protein. Typically, you would feed them ad libitum; crumble or pellet form. Now layer chickens are raised for egg production, so you are going to feed them differently. They are smaller bodied and slower growth than broilers. They require low nutrients during early stages of growth. Starters: 0-6 weeks with 18-20% crude protein, Growers: 6-12 weeks with 15-16%CP, Developers: 12-18 weeks with 12-13% crude protein, and then Layers 18+ weeks with 14-16% crude protein. Layer birds are fed as libitum or may need to restrict intake. One would feed them a mash/crumble to start then change to a mash pellet. Chickens in general prefer 
pellet and crumble over mash type feed. When we give energy feedstuffs it contains grains; corn, milo, wheat, barley, and oats. 





Pictured below is a couple chickens eating pelleted feed.


]]> 2019-04-05 17:08:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012715 Post #17 Behavioral Disorders ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012860 2019-04-05 17:08:44 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/349012860 Padlet #19 Flight Zone ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/352699475 Chickens can see 300 degrees around them without moving.(humans can only see 180 degrees) This type of vision makes chickens have two blind spots. One being right over the top of their beak and the other blind spot is directly behind their head. In order to move a chicken forward the handler has to be behind the point of balance and out of the blind spots. Chickens have binocular vision and the width is difficult to say since it depends on how far apart the eyes are from each other. They can see in color (red,yellow, and blue) and they also have Ultra-Violent cone. This allow them to see more colors then humans can see and more shiny things. For example, the uv cones helps them find bugs, seeds, berries, and fruits in non-UV reflecting grass and dirt. They also have a motion- detecting cone that allows them to see slight movements more easily. There one big disadvantage is that they can not see at night. This is why chickens are in there coups at dusk away from predators. When a chicken is facing forward that is when they have the biggest flight zone because they feel the most pressure and risk. When that outer most edge of the flight zone is penetrated that is when the chicken runs away. As a flock, when a handler approaches the chickens move away as a group.  Distance varies between species and flocks.  

This picture below explains the flight zone of a chicken.]]> 2019-04-19 02:11:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/352699475 Padlet #20 The picture below is a screenshot of an current chicken welfare audit. ahkjell https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/354615969


This link right below explains how Validus is the only privately owned company approved to conduct audits by United Egg Producers(EAP). 
https://uepcertified.com/how-egg-farmers-care-for-hens/


This link is an example of what one of the Validus's auditors would look for doing an on site audit.  Therefore, this article is all about 2019 antibiotics on the farm.
https://uepcertified.com/antibiotics-on-the-farm/

]]> 2019-04-26 22:41:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ahkjell/r7ct71pubrn6/wish/354615969