Back to Chicken Behaviour and Welfare
The University of Edinburgh

Chicken Behaviour and Welfare

This course explains the general principles of chicken behaviour and welfare, and the behavioural and physiological indicators that can be used to assess welfare in chickens kept in hobby flocks through to commercial farms. The focus is primarily on laying hens and meat chickens (broilers) although many of the principles are relevant to other types of poultry. The course is likely to be of interest to people who own chickens as pets or keep a small hobby flock, commercial egg and chicken meat producers, veterinarians and vet nurses. Learning Objectives: at the end of this course, you will be able to - - Describe avian sensory perception and motivation - Explain the main behaviour patterns of poultry - Define welfare and explain the bases of welfare standards - Assess chicken welfare, using behavioural and physiological means - Understand common welfare problems of chickens This course is taught by staff from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), University of Glasgow, and St David's Poultry Team. © University of Edinburgh and Scotland's Rural College 2016 CC BY Learners can apply for Financial Aid directly with Coursera to assist with the cost of accessing the full course and gaining a certificate for successfully completing the course.

Status: Behavioral Health
Status: Human Learning
Course10 hours

Featured reviews

AS

5.0Reviewed Jun 8, 2016

I found this course to be very informative for those who are beginning to learn about chickens or would like to expand their knowledge to improve conditions for their backyard flock.

CL

5.0Reviewed Oct 6, 2016

Fantastic course if you're just starting out in the world of chickens. I feel that I gained vital knowledge which has boosted my confidence in my abilities as a back garden hen keeper.

HK

5.0Reviewed May 8, 2023

his course is so informative. many things thay i took for granted in chicken are actually essential. welfare of chicken is important. i will now be a role model in my community to educate farmers.

RH

5.0Reviewed Apr 2, 2022

Excellent course. I wanted a basic understanding before getting some backyard chickens, this course went above and beyond my requirements, while still being accessible to a novice. Thank you.

PF

5.0Reviewed Sep 13, 2017

Very useful in-depth information. A must for those interested in raising chickens - explaining the whys behind chicken behavior and how to correct or minimize unwanted behavior.

AS

5.0Reviewed Jan 9, 2017

perfectly organised and set on many short videos which makes learning much easier and simplified and i found all the topics very interesting and very well explained by the professor

MS

5.0Reviewed Jul 30, 2019

Great information about chickens' instinctive behaviors and the advantages and disadvantages of various means of caring for them. I learned a lot about the various systems used throughout the world.

KS

5.0Reviewed Oct 24, 2023

this is a great course for a beginner or an experienced chicken raiser or someone like me that has been out of it for Military service and trying to return to t raising birds.

SI

5.0Reviewed Aug 9, 2023

This course is very well structured. The lecture delivery is impressive using all the helping materials as pictorials and videos. The given links and supporting material are very helpful.

AP

5.0Reviewed Apr 25, 2020

Excellent course, excellent instructor. Difficult to hear some of the material at times as emotional and sensitive. I am happy to be vegan and let birds be free of pain and suffering.

AN

5.0Reviewed Feb 16, 2019

this course is very gainful for any person who is involved in any type of poultry production system directly or indirectly i would instigate all to involve and complete this course.

WA

5.0Reviewed Oct 18, 2020

i learned a lot of knowledge from this course because it is very critical and important part of my field related to Poultry Behaviour and welfarei really thanks ful to coursea community

All reviews

Showing: 20 of 435

Ahmed Mohamed Hemaly Atta-Allah
4.0
Reviewed Jun 1, 2018
Cher Rineer
5.0
Reviewed Sep 17, 2017
Lisa Lelkova
5.0
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Elaine Grant
5.0
Reviewed Jun 4, 2019
Nike Weintraub
5.0
Reviewed Oct 29, 2020
skippy covington
5.0
Reviewed Apr 21, 2017
Wajid Ali�
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Reviewed Oct 19, 2020
Amin nageri
5.0
Reviewed Feb 17, 2019
Quantina Beck-Jones
5.0
Reviewed Aug 16, 2016
Frederique COURCIER
5.0
Reviewed Apr 30, 2017
Angela White
5.0
Reviewed Jul 23, 2017
Jo Newman
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Reviewed Apr 23, 2020
Anh Thư Nguyễn
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Reviewed Jul 30, 2021
Melanie Seibert
5.0
Reviewed Jul 30, 2019
Henry C. Kioko
5.0
Reviewed May 9, 2023
Claire Lindsay-McGrath
5.0
Reviewed Oct 7, 2016
Alex Petersen
5.0
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Aynsley Strong
5.0
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Steve Edwards
4.0
Reviewed Sep 15, 2019
Joshua Matthews
4.0
Reviewed May 16, 2021