Social attraction and the feeding behaviour of domestic hens

Traditional models of the feeding behaviour of domestic hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) predict that dominant birds will attempt to monopolise access tote fob-resources and will be intolerant of subordinate birds fending in their. proximity. Furthermore, when food is available at a number of different (spatially separated sites), birds should disperse when feeding. The results of the present study indicated that, at least in small groups of birds, these predictions do not hold true. When hens, kept in pens in groups of three, were offered the possibility of feeding under various degrees of physical and/or visual isolation from one another, (i.e. at a circular feeder quadratically partitioned with wood, glass or nominal divisions), they chose to feed in proximity to one another (i.e. in the same or adjacent quadrants of the feeder) significantly more than expected by chance, irrespective of the degree of physical isolation between feeding sites. In a second experiment, one birds of a group of three was prevented from feeding with her two pen mates and could only feed at a site distal from them. Lader such conditions the "isolated" bird spent significantly less time feeding than when it was able to feed with the other two birds and presented behaviour (significantly increased levels of locomotor activity and preening) possibly symptomatic of frustration. It is suggested that feeding birds are strongly attracted to one another and that, at least in the strains and group sizes considered, social attraction and available feeding space are important influences on the manner in which hens space themselves when feeding.