Effect of different housing system and stocking density on behaviour pattern of broilers

A total of 225 straightrun broiler chickens (Vencobb) were used to study the effect of different housing systems and stocking density on behaviour pattern of broilers from 5 to 6 weeks. The stocking density were 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 sq.ft. area/bird in deep litter, wire net and wooden salt type of housing system, respectively. The agonistic and non agonistic behaviour was observed for one hour/day. The variation among different housing system and at different densities in agonistic behaviour like sitting, standing, fighting, pecking, threatning, avoiding, pushing were found to be non significant. Whereas, non agonistic behaviour like dust-bathing, litter scratching, body preening, wing preening, head scratching with foot, wing flapping, leg streatching varied significantly due to type of housing system but density does not affected on non agonistic behaviour. Most non agonistic behaviour found in wire net and then wooden slat type indicate discomfort of birds. Deep litter system found to be acceptable to birds for their comfort point of view, from the agonistic and non agonistic results.