| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 動物科學系所 === 102 === The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of selection, body size and morphology to chickens behavior during rearing period and laying period. This study used two strains of NCHU selected country chickens and three conserved breeds. The selected strains including B strain with big body size and S strain with small body size, the conserved breed including Erh-Mei, Beijing Fatty Chicken and Silky. The behaviors of daytime behaviors, active location and night-time resting locations during rearing period (5-20 weeks of age), and daytime behaviors during laying period (23-36 weeks of age) were recorded.
In the rearing period, each breeds used 112 chickens. Each of floor pen has been provided a two-tier perch, and each breed has 14 male and 14 female chickens in each pen. The results showed that the selected strains displayed less feed, more drink behavior than the conserved breeds, and stand/walk, active location and night-time resting location were affected by body size, and S strain show more stand/walk, daytime and night-time on higher place than B strain. Erh-Mei show more feeding and crouching behavior than other breeds, and stayed more frequently on upper-perch in daytime and night-time. Beijing fatty chicken show more comfort behavior than other breeds, and stayed more frequently on ground in daytime and night-time. Silky show more feeding and stand/walk behavior than other breeds, and stayed more frequently on lower-perch and wall in daytime, and more often on ground in night-time.
The female and male chickens were moved to cage at 21 and 22 weeks of age, respectively. Thirty males were chosen from every breed, and based on their health condition, B strain, S strain, Erh-Mei, Beijing Fatty Chicken and Silky were respectively had 48, 51, 51, 52 and 40 females been housed in battery cages. The results showed that, in males, selected chicken show more drink and peck behavior. Erh-Mei shows more ingestive behavior. Beijing fatty chicken shows the most comfort behavior. B strain has the most stand behavior. Silky has the most crouch behavior. In females, S strain and Erh-Mei shows the most ingestive behavior. Beijing fatty chicken show the most comfort behavior. B strain shows the most stand and alert behavior. Erh-Mei show the most crouch behavior.
In conclusion, selected strains feeding behavior was more concenatrated at the feeder, faster of eating and less forage behavior than conserved breeds. It’s mean the selection will decrease chickens investigating and learning behavior. Under restricted feeding, selected strains show higher desire for food than conserved breeds. The selected strains’ behavior were affected by body size, B strain’s perching behavior were less than S strain significantly. The conserved breeds’ behaviors were significantly different between breeds due to morphology.
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