A Comparison of The Pecking and Resting Behaviour of Native And Exotic (Layer Type) Chickens in a Humid Tropical Environment

Abstract

711c p~cltrtlg nrlrl rcstrrrg hclinvzotrr of tlze rrativc clrzckerl zoere compared zoitlz those of tlre exotzc strnirrs (H and N
Brorl~rN~r ck 1 7 1 ~ B~ 1ln clc Olynrprn) zisrng 50 day old clzzclcs per straztl. Tlze birdsf rom each strazrr zocre lroused ori deep
lztfer floor iiz hoo replrrate pens of20 clizclcs per pen. Feed ntzd zoater were provided nd lzhztrrrrr tlzrorrglzozlt tlic
expevrrrierrtnl period of 20 weeks. Tlze exotic strazns exhzbrted higher restirzg belzaz)roiir tlznlz tlze rzntme cl~zclcerz
thro~~glrortrhte penoil. Tlre restrtig pattern zilas suclz tlzat a greater proportrorz ofbirds frorrr enclr strrzlt~p referred
lying zvltlz head t ~apnd stnlzditzg to l!/zng unth stretcl~t z~ckor ,t~erchrrzgo n so~netlzzlrgu ~lzzler esting. Tile rtzcuietzce
ofpec-kzrzg zoas lilglzer zn tlre tzntzve clzzclcen tllnn the exotlc strairzs-tlzroziglzor~tt lze penod. Tile reszllts rridicnte~til lat
peckztzg bellnvzo~rrd ecreased z(ntlz nge it1 hot11 tlze natzve and exotic chickens. Bnsed on tlre resz~ltsi,t 1s sirggested
tltrzt the nntiz~cc lzzclten be strbjected to selective brecdlng and good triatzngernerrt prrzctrccs in order to rrizratnzzc
yecklrig belii~z~roarr~lrd rlnprove on prodzrctzvrty.