ABSTRACT
The study of animal behaviour – called ethology – investigates the evolutionary, mechanistic, developmental and adaptive significance of the actions and reactions of animals. Within the broad scope of this scientific discipline, ‘applied ethology’ focuses specifically on animals that regularly interact with or are managed by humans. Applied ethology applies behavioural principles and research methods to problems such as pest and predator control, management of economically important species, wildlife conservation and animal welfare, among others (Mench, 1992). As it pertains to poultry production, a context in which humans have a high degree of control over the animals’ reproduction and housing environments, research questions focus mainly on the mechanistic and developmental causes of behaviour. Although given less consideration in the scientific literature, research on the evolutionary underpinning of poultry behaviour can and has informed breeding programmes (e.g. breeding for tameness was an important part of the domestication process), and put behaviours observed in captivity into a broader context. An example of the latter is the hen’s preference for enclosed nest boxes (Appleby and McRae, 1986), which has likely evolved in response to predator avoidance pressures.
