Chickens are by far the world's most widely farmed animal, kept for both meat and egg production. They are at the centre of many debates regarding housing and production systems, causing significant interest in what lies behind chicken behaviour. This accessible book The Behavioural Biology of Chickens covers sensory biology, behavioural development, preferences and aversions, social behaviour, learning and cognition, behavioural issues in different systems and solutions for behavioural problems.
Authored by an authority on chicken ethology, The Behavioural Biology of Chickens brings together the fields of animal behaviour, neuroscience, psychology and epidemiology to provide a comprehensive understanding of chicken behaviour and help improve the lives of farmed chickens around the world.
1. Domestication of Chickens and Current Breeding Practices
2. Sensory Biology and Chicken Behaviour
3. Behavioural Development
4. Behavioural Preferences, Needs and Priorities
5. Social Behaviour
6. Learning and Cognition in Chickens
7. Management Influences on Poultry Behaviour
8. Current Behaviour Issues in Commercial Production
9. Risk Factors and Solutions for Behavioural Problems
10. Human-animal Relationships