title: Mothering influences the distribution of activity in young domestic chicks.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of a maternal hen influences the quality, quantity, and distribution of activity in young chicks. Brooded and nonbrooded chicks were observed during the entire light phase when they were 4 d of age. Our results revealed that although both brooded and nonbrooded chicks expressed the same behavioral items and in quite the same quantity, activity bouts were much longer in brooded chicks. However, only brooded chicks presented a high level of ultradian rhythmicity. Moreover, the brooded chicks made greater use of the space. The presence and the behavior of maternal hens appeared to provide structuring factors for the expression of the chicks behavior.
authors.affiliation: UMR 6552-Ethologie-Evolution-Ecologie, Rennes, France. marie-annick.richard@univ-rennes1.fr
authors.forename: Aline-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Perré
authors.forename: Dorothée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bizeray
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leterrier
authors.forename: Marie-Annick
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Richard-Yris
mesh_terms: D000204:Activity Cycles / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*