Behavior Of Young Chicks Research Articles

The development of responses to novel-coloured objects in male and female domestic chicks

Male and female domestic chicks were trained to peck on a small coloured (red or green) box for food reinforcement. They were then presented with one box identical to that used during training (familiar) and one of a different colour (unfamiliar) and their preferences were assessed in a simultaneous free choice test. The novel colour was green in chicks trained with a red box and red in chicks trained with a green box. Chicks showed marked variations in their preferences for familiarity and novelty as a function of age and sex. In chicks trained with a green box preferences for the familiar colour were stronger in females than in males at all ages of test. A similar sex difference was observed in chicks trained with a red box, except that at around day 9, when males showed temporarily stronger preferences for familiarity than females. When comparing males and females of red-trained chicks to those of green-trained chicks, a shift in colour prefernce, from red to green, was apparent from day 9 in both sexes, though temporarily stronger in females than in males. Levels of preference for the familiar object showed a peak (centred at around day 5/6) and two dips (centred at around day 4/5 and day 10/11) in both sexes irrespective of colour. Results are discussed in relation to current evidence for simultaneous changes in the brain and in the behaviour of young chicks during development.

The effect of the terpene fraction of the oil of nutmeg on the behavior of young chicks.

The terpene (i.e. low boiling) fraction of nutmeg oil caused a dose (200–1000 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) dependent increase in the average total duration of light sleep and in the average duration of light sleep episodes in young chicks. In addition, with increasing dose levels, there was an increase in the number of subjects that displayed deep sleep and generally an increase in the average total duration of deep sleep and average duration of deep sleep episodes.

The effect of an ethanol extract of catnip (Nepeta cataria) on the behavior of the young chick

The alcohol extract of catnip has a biphasic effect on the behavior of young chicks. Low and moderate dose levels (25--1800 mg/kg) cause increasing numbers of chicks to sleep, while high dose levels (i.e. above 2 g/kg) cause a decreasing number of chicks to sleep.