The influence of photoperiods on behaviour of quail under different housing systems

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different day times on some maintenance behaviour of Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica). The experiment was carried out at faculty of Veterinary Medicine poultry farm, Zagazig University, Egypt. 120 quail of one day old chick were divided randomly into two equal group (60 birds of each) one group were housed at floor system and the other at cage system. From the obtained results the diurnal variation had a significant effect on feeding behaviour. The ingestive behaviour was increased with floor managed quail at early morning. There was a non-significant difference in walking time between different day times. The wall pecking time wasn't affected with the diurnal hours. We concluded that there was a positive correlation coefficient between the ingestive behaviour of quail and the different diurnal hours as it increase with early morning at floor housed quail. The crouching time was increased with mid-day at battery managed quail.