Research note: Age and time of day influence broiler use of platform enrichments
Shawna L. Weimer, Michael T. Kidd, Mitchell Vaught, Seth Holeyfield, Benjamin Angel, Pablo Ruidiaz Escovar, Rovin Sanjur Caballero, Karen Pitty Rivera, Elle Johnston, Seong W. Kang, Rosie H. Whittle

TL;DR
Broiler chickens prefer the sides of their pens, especially at night, and this preference increases with the addition of platforms, particularly when they are younger.
Contribution
This study reveals how age and time of day influence broiler use of platform enrichments in poultry housing.
Findings
Birds in platform pens showed significantly higher side occupancy than controls during the scotoperiod at younger ages.
Platform use was most pronounced during the scotoperiod on d 16 and 23, with over 80% of birds on the sides in platform pens.
The presence of platforms augmented thigmotaxic behavior, especially during the scotoperiod and at younger to mid-growth ages.
Abstract
Environmental enrichments have the potential to improve broiler chicken welfare. Platforms, when designed and placed effectively, can improve spatial complexity and encourage positive natural behavior. This study evaluated the spatial and temporal patterns of platform use in broilers housed with sidewall-mounted platforms compared to unenriched controls. A total of 352 male broilers were randomly assigned to one of two environmental enrichment treatments: enriched pens with white plastic slatted platforms placed along both sidewalls (Platform, n=6 pens) and unenriched controls with no platforms (Control, n=2 pens). Overhead video recordings were captured, and behavioral observations of side occupancy were conducted using instantaneous scan sampling at 15-min intervals for 24 h on d 16, 23, 30, 37, 44, and 50 of age. Birds in platform pens had greater side occupancy than controls at all…
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Taxonomy
TopicsAnimal Nutrition and Physiology · Livestock and Poultry Management · Avian ecology and behavior
