Hide menu

Results

There was no difference between the three strains when comparing the one hour of baseline behavior (Table. 2).

Table 2. Baseline behavior

Behavior

 

Mean Value ± SD (s) for each strain

Significance

 

 

Low

Intermediate

High

Feeding

15.3 ± 39.1

10,1 ± 34.6

14.9 ±  39.5

Ns

Drinking

8.2 ± 28.1

4.8 ± 16.6

3.0 ± 11.7

Ns

Ground peck

25.4 ± 43.4

21.4 ± 38.4

16.0 ± 32.4

Ns

Foraging session

56.4 ± 87.7

41.4 ± 71.4

35.3 ± 67.7

Ns

Alert behavior

40.8 ± 63.1

70.8 ± 80.7

45.6 ± 61.1

Ns

Relaxed behavior

102.9 ± 100.8

82.7 ± 92.1

101.7 ± 93.0

Ns

Freeze

0 ± 0

0.01 ± 0.1

0.5 ± 3.9

Ns

Escape

0.1 ± 0.6

0.1 ± 1.1

0.1 ± 0.4

Ns

Run

0.01 ± 0.1

0.3 ± 2.8

0.01 ± 0.2

Ns

Preen

66.7 ± 94.5

71.4 ± 94.4

68.8 ± 92.7

Ns

Dust bath

0 ± 0

0 ± 0

0.03 ± 0.4

Ns

Wing flap

0.1 ± 0.4

0.2 ± 0.5

0.3 ± 0.6

Ns

Feather ruffle

0.3 ± 0.7

0.4 ± 0.7

0.4 ± 0.7

Ns

Crowing

0.5 ± 1.5

0.6 ± 1.9

0.6 ± 2.0

Ns

Movement

11.4 ± 15.9

15.7 ± 25.1

9.9 ± 17.2

Ns

Perching

202.1 ± 97.2

235.0 ± 64.4

213.7 ± 87.1

Ns

Only one behavior showed a significant difference between the three strains (Table. 3). The behavior that showed a significant difference between the strains was crowing.

Table 3. Stress-response

Behavior

Time

Strain

      Time x Strain

 

 

Male

Female

Male

Female

Feeding

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Drinking

Ns

Ns

Ns

P = 0.057

P = 0.068

Ground peck

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Foraging session

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Alert behavior

P < 0.001

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Relaxed behavior

P < 0.001

Ns

Ns

P = 0.089

P = 0.052

Freeze

P < 0.05

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Escape

Na

Na

Na

Na

Na

Run

Na

Na

Na

Na

Na

Preen

P < 0.001

P = 0.063

Ns

Ns

Ns

Dust bath

Na

Na

Na

Na

Na

Wing flap

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Feather ruffle

P = 0.069

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Crowing

P < 0.05

Ns

Na

P < 0.05

Na

Movement

P < 0.001

Ns

Ns

Ns

Ns

Perching

P < 0.05

NS

Ns

ns

Ns

Discussion

The fowls were stressed by the restraint (net) which can be seen in the Table. 2 for the time interaction. with seven behaviors showing a significant difference over time.

Crowing was the only behavior of the 16 behaviors recorded that showed a significance difference between the groups. With the high- and intermediate strain having significant changes in number of crowings performed over time.

Other studies have found differences between domesticated fowl and non-domesticated ones, in both stress response and activity level. This was not seen in this study. There are also some possible sources for errors such as the sample size being to small. But also that too few generations of selective breeding for fear of humans had passed to see any of the differences that have been reported in other studies.

In conclusion, selecting for fear of humans in Red Junglefowl does not seem to affect stress-response in a major way.


Responsible for this page: Director of undergraduate studies Biology
Last updated: 06/13/15