Have hen and cock bonded?

Bonds are formed outside the breeding season in the aviaries and once formed they stay together throughout the year. The cock and hen recognise each other visually.

There are a number of mate specific behaviours to look for:

  • Mates sit together significantly more often than with non-mates.
  • All males preen more frequently when they are next to their mate.
  • Hens preen more often while sitting next to non-mates.
  • Courtship singing is not a mate specific behaviour, however, the courtship song, is followed by courtship feeding more often when the mate has been addressed in song.
  • Beak touching is the most frequent mate specific behaviour.
  • Begging for food by hens is absolutely mate specific behaviour.
  • Cocks feed their own mate significantly more often than non-mates.
  • The only time that a male is fed by a hen is when he is sick.
  • Hens are inhibited from showing aggression toward a mate.
  • Cocks also show a beak thrust inhibition towards mates.
  • Hens are not inhibited from showing aggressive behaviours toward non-mates.

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