Prehatch color stimulation effects on color pecking preferences and color discrimination learning in white leghorn chicks

Abstract

Four experiments assessed the effects of stimulating chick embryos with colored light at 2 intensity levels. Both posthatch color pecking preferences (Experiments 1 and 2) and color discrimination learning (Experiments 3 and 4) were unaffected. These results affirm and extend a prior finding of no pre- and posthatch colored light stimulation effect on posthatch color preferences in ducklings. The color pecking preferences found replicated prior findings with chicks. However, they differed from the approach color preferences observed in color discrimination learning.

Brightness effects on color pecking preferences in dark‐hatched domestic chicks

“…As found previously, filter color (F) elicited differential amounts of pecking ( F = Fischer et al, 1975a).…”

“…% Fischer et al, 1975a). The findings show further, that the curve is the same in an unselected (New Hampshire) as well as a highly selected (White Leghorn) breed, and that its shape is independent of target brightness.…”

“…The nature of the differences in peck rates as a function of filter wavelength was the same as found previously (e.g., Fischer et al, 1975a;see Fig. 4).…”

“…The relation is not simple because a bimodal preference function has been found when chicks were tested in the light, as well as in the dark, and with differing levels of target brightness (Fischer et al, 1975a). However, differences in target brightness used by Fischer et al (1975a) were not very great (i.e., 2.17,5.60, and 8.21 cd/m*).…”

The cardiac self‐stimulation hypothesis and the chick's differential attraction toward intermittent sound

“…Finally, we note that the results obtained in Experiment I1 compliment findings reported by others showing that extended passive exposure to intermittent auditory (Barbaree & Lien, 1970;Fischer, 1974;Green & Adkins, 1975;Lien, 19761, as well as visual stirnulation (Dimond & Adam, 1972;Fischer, Davis. & Nord, 1975;Rajecki, 1974) prior to hatching typically produces negligible, marginal, and/or transitory gains in attraction toward corresponding stimuli shortly after hatching.…”