The effects of hen vocalizations on chick feeding behavior

Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.

The purpose of this study was to determine if playing hen calls at the feeder affects broiler chick productivity and welfare. Hatched chicks (n = 832) were equally placed into 16 pens. Broilers in 8 treated pens received 3 min of hen-feeding calls once each hour during the first 9 d of age; broilers in the other 8 pens received no recorded hen vocalizations during the same period. After d 9, recorded hen vocalizations ceased and all birds were treated identically. Through 9 d of age, chicks receiving recorded hen vocalizations had improved (P < or = 0.05) feed conversion ratios, and these chicks weighed more (139.12+/-1.52 g vs. 133.17+/-1.59 g for control chicks; P < or = 0.01). The behavior data showed that on d 1, 4, and 7, more (P < or = 0.05) chicks receiving recorded hen vocalizations were found within 0.61 m of the speaker than control chicks. Following recorded hen vocalization cessation on d 9, birds and feed were weighed on 17, 24, 31, and 38 d of age, and carcass yield was measured on d 40. There were no differences in BW, feed efficiency, or carcass yield after recorded hen vocalization ceased. These data suggest that after d 9, differences became nonsignificant, corresponding to when recorded hen vocalization stopped. Behavior data demonstrated that chicks appear to be attracted when stimulated with recorded hen vocalizations, thus remaining in close proximity to the speaker. Evidence suggests that hen vocalization improves production and attraction to hen vocalization with known improvements in BW and feed conversion during the first 9 d posthatch.