Acoustical analyses of chicken vocalizations

Vocalizations of the domestic chicken were recorded and analyzed by quantitative and qualitative methods in two experiments. In Experiment 1, recordings were made from males and females from two lines of White Leghorn chickens housed in individual battery cages. Five call types: crow, disturbance call, baaks, fear-squawks, and moans were distinguished. No significant differences were found between lines for any of the parameters measured. Crows consisted of four parts, with the combination of the durations of the various segments suggesting that they contribute to recognition among individuals. Both sexes emitted disturbance calls, baaks, fear-squawks, and moans. When comparisons were made between sexes for number of disturbance notes per second and length of fear-squawks no significant differences were found. Signal grading was shown by increased rates of disturbance notes and the addition of baaks as an individual became more upset. Three groups of eight-week old White Leghorn chickens subjected to different handling regimes emitted different vocalizations when held in the hand of the observer. Birds habituated to the handler gave mainly contentment calls while the other groups emitted peeps (distress calls), fear trills or alarm notes. A previously unreported melodic flock call was heard from White Rock chickens that were moved to a new pen at eight weeks of age. Experiment 2 consisted of comparisons between two commercial egg-laying stocks maintained under high-intensity battery cage housing. Data obtained at approximately 35 weeks of age from both stocks in the same house showed low frequencies of pecks and threats. Pullets from stock B had significantly more pushes and steps than those from stock A. The vocalizations emitted by stock B exhibited an increased range of frequencies in comparison to those by stock A. This difference was attributed to an increased number of disturbance calls and baaks and suggests that vocal behavior may be a means of assessing the social environment of chickens maintained in battery cages.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Poultry Science

Department dc:contributor.department

Poultry Science

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1983

Author dc:creator

• Stone, Neal D.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/106029

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/106029