Discrepancy from rearing conditions affects chicks' behavior in a novel situation.
Chicks raised in small or large cages were exposed to a relatively large novel situation at 12 or 24 hr of age. At both ages, chicks from small cages had longer latencies to begin moving and lower activity scores. Age itself had no effect. Apparently, chicks learn the characteristics of their home cage shortly after hatching, and discrepancy from the home affects their response to novel situations.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D002645:Chickens; D004777:Environment; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D006702:Homing Behavior; D007173:Imprinting, Psychological; D009043:Motor Activity; D011930:Reaction Time; D013045:Species Specificity