Day 019 - 27 Jul 94 - Page 20
1 on, the birds often make a rush to the chain feeder and
watch it go by, or whatever they like to do; it stimulates
2 feeding.
3 Q. What about perching and flying, their behaviour normally
expressed in chickens?
4 A. Yes, this is true. It is unusual to see much perching
going on in a broiler shed. Occasionally you will see
5 them perching on top of beam drinkers, where they have
beam drinkers with nipple cups, but not other designs.
6
Q. Does Sun Valley provide perches?
7 A. Not purpose built perches, no, they do not. As for
flying behaviour, you will get -- in young birds of this
8 nature, you often get running with wing flapping. It is
not actually takeoff flying, but it is probably a learning
9 stage in this. You can see that quite a lot in outdoor
housed broilers chickens -- sorry, not housed, outdoor
10 kept broiler chickens; you can see, particularly when the
lights are up in broiler sheds, indoors; so you will see
11 this running and flapping activity.
12 Q. What about actual flight?
A. No. My point is in broilers of this age it is
13 unusual, particularly in this genotype, it is unusual to
see flying at all. It is very difficult to launch up and
14 get away and get off the ground. It is usually something
which occurs at a later age in chickens, I would suggest,
15 and different genotypes.
16 MR. JUSTICE BELL: At what sort of age does a farm hen have its
wings clipped?
17 A. It is very unusual for farm hens now to have their
wings clipped; very unusual, yes.
18
Q. What do they do instead, nothing?
19 A. Yes, nothing. Those birds can fly. The domestic hen,
the domestic chicken, the species itself is not a
20 particularly adept bird at flying. It is not a distinct
flying bird, creature, itself.
21
MS. STEEL: Would they normally start flying, or would it not
22 be unusual for them to start flying at, say, five weeks
and over?
23 A. Such that they can maintain sustained flight, do you
mean?
24
Q. Just even 20 feet or ten feet, or something?
25 A. They would be setting a record.
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: 20 feet would be pretty good?
A. Yes. They are doing well. I think it is unlikely.
27 I think that is very unlikely. As I say, the Gallus
domesticus is not an adept bird at flying. In the adult,
28 lightweight laying hen, they certainly are more so; in the
jungle fowl they are adept, but the genotypes of the
29 broilers they are not adept at flying. You will get in
the parent flocks, so you have the adults, yes, they can
30 fly up to higher perches. They do not spend a lot of time
flying though, even the underfed ones, which no doubt are
