Conspecific vocalisations, tonic immobility and fearfulness in the domestic fowl

Jones, Robert B.

doi:10.1016/0376-6357(86)90085-9

Cited by 13 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Fear is an adaptive psychophysiological response with the function of protecting the animal from potential danger through appropriate behaviour and thus enhancing survival [13], [14]. Fear has also been associated with behavioural inflexibility and therefore influences exploratory behaviour [15], [16], [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear and Exploration in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): A Comparison of Hand-Reared and Wild-Caught Birds

2011

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The revision of EU legislation will ban the use of wild-caught animals in scientific procedures. This change is partially predicated on the assumption that captive-rearing produces animals with reduced fearfulness. Previously, we have shown that hand-reared starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) indeed exhibit reduced fear of humans compared to wild-caught conspecifics. Here, we asked whether this reduction in fear in hand-reared birds is limited to fear of humans or extends more generally to fear of novel environments and novel objects. Comparing 6–8 month old birds hand-reared in the lab with age-matched birds caught from the wild as fledged juveniles a minimum of 1 month previously, we examined the birds' initial reactions in a novel environment (a small cage) and found that wild-caught starlings were faster to initiate movement compared to the hand-reared birds. We interpret this difference as evidence for greater escape motivation in the wild-caught birds. In contrast, we found no differences between hand-reared and wild-caught birds when tested in novel object tests assumed to measure neophobia and exploratory behaviour. Moreover, we found no correlations between individual bird's responses in the different tests, supporting the idea that these measure different traits (e.g. fear and exploration). In summary, our data show that developmental origin affects one measure of response to novelty in young starlings, indicative of a difference in either fear or coping style in a stressful situation. Our data contribute to a growing literature demonstrating effects of early-life experience on later behaviour in a range of species. However, since we did not find consistent evidence for reduced fearfulness in hand-reared birds, we remain agnostic about the welfare benefits of hand-rearing as a method for sourcing wild birds for behavioural and physiological research.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fear and Exploration in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): A Comparison of Hand-Reared and Wild-Caught Birds

2011

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“…For example, domestic fowl aerial-and ground-predator calls and fear squawks are warning calls associated with the threat of predation, and presumably heightened fearfulness (Collias and Joos, 1953;Konishi, 1963;Wood-Gush, 1971). Presentation of predator warning calls or fear squawks to battery cage hens significantly prolonged tonic immobility (an unlearned response to physical restraint positively related to fear (Jones, 1986). Similarly, several strains of laying hen exposed to 90 dB background noise (background chicken vocalisations and fans) for one hour, had a significantly higher heterophil:lymphocyte ratio and longer duration of tonic immobility than birds exposed to 60 dB background noise (Campo et al, 2005).…”

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confidence: 94%

Vocalisations and acoustic parameters of flock noise from feather pecking and non-feather pecking laying flocks

Bright

2008

British Poultry Science

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1. In this study, the calling rates of vocalisations known to indicate distress and aversive events (Alarm calls, Squawks, Total vocalisations) and acoustic parameters of flock noise were quantified from feather and non-feather pecking laying flocks. 2. One hour of flock noise (background machinery and hen vocalisations) was recorded from 21 commercial free-range laying hen flocks aged > or =35 weeks. Ten of the flocks were classified as feather pecking (based on a plumage condition score) and 11 as non-feather pecking. 3. Recordings were made using a Sony DAT recorder and Audio-Technica omni-directional microphone, placed in the centre of the house-1.5 m from the ground. Avisoft-SASlab Pro was used to create and analyse audio spectrograms. 4. There was no effect of flock size or farm on call/s or acoustic parameters of flock noise. However, strain had an effect on the number of Total vocalisation/s; the Hebden Black flock made more calls than Lohmann flocks. Feather pecking flocks gave more Squawk/s and more Total vocalisation/s than non-feather pecking flocks. Feather pecking did not explain variation in alarm call rate or, intensity (dB) and frequency (Hz) measures of flock noise. 5. The differences between Squawk and Total vocalisation call rates of feather and non-feather pecking flocks are a new finding. An increase or change in flock calling rate may be evident before other conventional measures of laying hen welfare such as a drop in egg production or increase in plumage damage, thus enabling farmers to make management or husbandry changes to prevent an outbreak of feather pecking.

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Tonic Immobility as a Model of Extreme States of Behavioral Inhibition

Gallup¹,

Rager²

1996

Motor Activity and Movement Disorders

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Conspecific vocalisations, tonic immobility and fearfulness in the domestic fowl

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

Fear and Exploration in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): A Comparison of Hand-Reared and Wild-Caught Birds

Fear and Exploration in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): A Comparison of Hand-Reared and Wild-Caught Birds

Vocalisations and acoustic parameters of flock noise from feather pecking and non-feather pecking laying flocks

Tonic Immobility as a Model of Extreme States of Behavioral Inhibition

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