Evaluating the Influence of Natural and Artificial Light on Broiler Behavior Across Growth Stages

Abstract

In recent years, the addition of windows to broiler houses to provide natural light during rearing has increased; however, the effects of natural light on bird behavior remain largely unknown. To evaluate the impact of raising broilers under natural or artificial light on bird behavior, mixed-sex Ross 708 chicks (N=720) were housed in 16 rooms (44 birds/room), with 8 rooms per light treatment and raised until 56 d of age. Chicks were randomly assigned to one of two light treatments: artificial light provided via a 5000K LED (AL), or natural light provided via 1 ft2 window and supplemented by a 5000K LED bulb (NL). Behavior frequency was assessed every 30 minutes over a 24-hour period via scan sampling on d 12, 33, and 54, for behaviors of; body shaking, drinking, dustbathing, eating, environmental pecking, foraging, frolicking, other active behaviors (jumping, flight, shuffle gait and adjusting posture), preening, resting (sitting and sleeping), running, self-scratching, standing, stretching, walking, and wing-flapping. Data were analyzed as a repeated measures ANOVA (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS 9.4) for main effects of light treatment and age, and means were compared via the Tukey-Kramer test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. An interaction between treatment and age was found for body shaking, frolicking, and resting. Body shaking occurred more on d 54 in NL (1±0.4), then in NL on d 12 (0) and 33 (0), and AL on d 12 (0) and 54 (0). Birds frolicked more on d 12 in NL (2.5±0.9) than on d 12 (0), 33 (0.25±0.25), and 54 (0) in AL, and d 54 in NL (0). Rest was highest on d 54 for both AL (1698±8.8) and NL (1658.5±7.5); followed by d 33 in AL (1572.25±13), then d 33 in NL (1535±25), and d 12 in NL (1472±5.7) and lowest on d 12 in AL (1430±19.4). Results showed that NL birds performed more drinking and active behaviors (60.6±2.4 and 26.2±2.7 respectively) compared to those raised under AL (51.6±2.4 and 17.2±1.6, respectively). Running (0.6±0.2), standing (87.1±7.7), and dust bathing (7±1.3) were performed more on d 12 than on either d 33 or 54. Whilst eating (139±8.5) and walking (57.5±3.2) were performed most on d 12, then d 33, and least on d 54. Foraging was performed more on d 12 (65±10.1) and 33 (74.9±4.5) than on d 54 (40.1±2.8). Birds preened most on d 33 (73.2±2.7). Stretching was most frequent on d 33 (40.9±3.4), followed by d 12 (15.9±1.1), with the least amount observed on d 54 (6.7±0.9). Overall, this study suggests that the NL treatment influences various behaviors in birds, including nutritive, play, and other active behaviors. Birds raised under NL conditions exhibited more frequent drinking, active behaviors and frolicking compared to those raised under AL conditions.