Factors affecting nest choice by Pekin ducks |
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| Authors: | Maja M Makagon Cassandra B Tucker Joy A Mench |
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| Institution: | 1. Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95916, USA;2. Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95916, USA;3. Center for Animal Welfare, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95916, USA;1. DiSTeVA, University of Urbino, Scientific Campus, 61029 Urbino, Italy;2. Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland;1. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências; Botucatu - SP, Brazil;2. University of Calgary, Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Calgary, Alberta, Canada;1. Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil;2. Faculty of Technology, Science and Education, Avenida Painguás, 225, Jardim Urupês, CEP13630-250 Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil;3. University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, CEP 13635-900 Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil;4. Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Veterinary, Department of Animal Science, State University of Sao Paulo Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Via de Acesso Dr. Paulo Donato Castellane km 5 Rural, CEP14884-900 Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil;1. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA 50010, USA;2. USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Livestock Issues Research Unit, Lubbock, TX 79403, USA;3. Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, MO 65211, USA;4. College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;5. Bovine Functional Genomics, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;6. Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA;7. Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79403, USA;8. Animal Science Department, A213, University of Nebraska, P.O. Box 830908, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA;1. School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China;2. Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve, Shaanxi 723300, PR China;1. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS), Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, 2881 F&B Road, College Station, TX 77845, USA;2. Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine, G.I. Laboratory, College Station, TX 77845, USA;3. Department of Food and Animal Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA;4. International Center for Food Industry Excellence, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA |
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| Abstract: | To encourage nest use in breeder poultry flocks, it is important that nest boxes are attractive. Few studies have evaluated factors affecting nest attractiveness to ducks. We assessed the effects of nest box experience (Experiments 1 and 2) and features of nests, including degree of enclosure (Experiments 1 and 2) and the presence of an egg (Experiment 3), on nest site selection by sexually mature Pekin ducks. The hens were tested individually in pens containing different nest box choices. Nest preferences were determined based on the locations of 14 successively laid eggs. Ducks in Experiment 1 were provided with nest box access prior to the onset of lay (20 weeks of age, EXP group, N = 12) or at the time of preference testing (35 weeks of age, DELAYED-EXP group, N = 12). Delaying nest box access by 15 weeks did not significantly affect the proportion of eggs laid in nest boxes rather than on the floor (P = 0.40). Regardless of experience ducks laid more than 66% of their eggs in nest boxes offering a higher degree of enclosure. Ducks in Experiment 2 were reared with either open-top (OP, N = 12) or closed-top (CL, N = 12) boxes. Regardless of rearing condition, ducks preferred boxes with the highest level of enclosure offered. Ducks laid twice the expected proportion (25%) of eggs in CL boxes with curtains (P = 0.0004). CL boxes without curtains were used as predicted by chance, 25% (P = 0.746), while OP boxes with (P = 0.009) and without (P = 0.015) curtains each contained only half the expected number of eggs. Ducks in Experiment 3 were provided with two nest boxes, one of which contained the egg laid the previous day. Each day, the newly laid egg was marked and either placed back in the nest box where it was found (HANDLED, N = 12) or moved into the adjacent nest box (MOVED, N = 12). Ducks in HANDLED and MOVED laid 97.6% and 79.8%, respectively, of their eggs in boxes containing the previous day's egg. While ducks in HANDLED were consistent in their choice throughout the test, those in MOVED developed the preference over time (P = 0.039), suggesting that the preference for laying in a nest containing an egg may be influenced by experience. These results indicate that nest box enclosure and the presence of an egg are important in determining the nesting choices of Pekin ducks. Incorporating these features into nest boxes may be useful for increasing consistency of nest use in breeder duck flocks. |
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