Exploratory activity as a measure of motivation in deprived hens

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It is not easy to assess an animal's motivational state during a period of deprivation caused by a lack of external stimulation. The extent to which the behaviour of hens, Gallus gallus domesticus, in a circular tunnel attached to a test pen may be exploratory and, hence, may measure their motivational state during periods of food and litter deprivation was investigated. In experiment 1, hens that had been deprived of food for 3 h spent significantly longer in the tunnel than non-deprived birds, although no food was, or had ever been, provided in the tunnel. During the test neither group was provided with food in the pen. In experiment 2, one group of hens was kept on a wire floor (Litter-deprived) and one group was kept on peat (Non-deprived), both for 6 weeks prior to being tested in the same apparatus. During the test, half the birds of each group were provided with peat in the pen (Control), whilst the remainder had no peat (Experimental). Deprived Experimental hens spent significantly longer in the tunnel than Non-deprived Experimental hens, suggesting that they may have been motivated to obtain litter during the deprivation period itself.