| Brooding period is an important stage of parental broiler breeders.Unfamiliar congeners and unfamiliar environments provide a very rich stimulus to the chicks.Therefore,feather pecking as a kind of exploratory behavior,used for information exchange between chicken and adapted to the new environment,was particularly prominent in the chicks.We studied the relationship between the feeding density and the feather pecking behaviors in the Brooding period and understood the occurrence of feather pecking behavior of cage chicks from the perspective of behavioral science comprehensively.we could deeply understand the minimum space requirements in chicks,and at the same time ensure the production performance requirements by reducing the possibility of the occurrence of feather pecking behavior.It is an important scientific proposition in the practice of large-scale intensive production to establish a welfare rearing environment which could meet the needs of the behavior and the production requirements.The Arber Acres(AA+)chicks were raised form born to 10 weeks.Based on the comparison of the difference between the different stocking densities under the same age and the difference between the different ages of the same density to study the differences of pecking behaviors of the AA+ broiler breeder chicks.The main conclusions are as follows:1.With the increase of stocking density,the smaller the week old,the greater the probability of pecking behavior(feather pecking,cage pecking,and staring).The mean values at 1-2 weeks old tended to be greater than 9-10 weeks old.Feather pecking behavior(including cage pecking,obeject staring,feather pecking)was significantly different with different feeding density.2.and the pecking behaviours The feeding density of 0.033 ㎡/chick is a turning point,at that the feather pecking behaviours were more likely to exhibit fluctuations.In the limited conditions,we suggested that before 7 weeks,AA+ broiler breeder rearing density of 0.033㎡ /chick was feasible,after 8 weeks old the breeding density should be reduced the number of feather pecking. |
