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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Chicken Behaviour and Welfare by The University of Edinburgh

4.8
stars
1,131 ratings

About the Course

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. You can follow us on Twitter! #chickenmooc © University of Edinburgh and Scotland's Rural College 2016 CC BY...

Top reviews

NT

Jul 30, 2021

Thank you very much to the instructor at Duke University. This course has taught me a great deal of information. Things that I never knew before, it was interesting and rewarding. Thank you very much.

RT

Feb 28, 2024

This course is well taught and I really enjoyed how they broke up the modules into little comprehensible lessons. I learned a lot. I wish there was more material because it was an interesting course.

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376 - 400 of 406 Reviews for Chicken Behaviour and Welfare

By mohamed

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Apr 3, 2023

Wonderful course. I learned a lot of things.

Thank you so much.

By Omar H

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Nov 10, 2017

Good course, a little eurocentric but useful none the less.

By Santiago E d

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Apr 18, 2020

buen curso, pero le falta un poco de informacion tecnica

By Andy W

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Mar 10, 2018

Very interesting course for the home chicken-keeper

By Diego F R D

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Feb 15, 2019

Great information i learned a lot. Thanks everyone

By Muhammad Q

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Feb 26, 2020

That is very helpful and good learning platform

By K S

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Feb 13, 2018

Very well explained and pleasant to watch

By Summer S

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Dec 8, 2020

If was informational and interesting.

By Anne b

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Apr 12, 2018

Very interesting, if a bit short.

By Elizabeth W M

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Jul 22, 2020

Great course! Very informative

By JUSTO G S C

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May 10, 2017

Good course. Congratulations

By Simone P

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Feb 24, 2017

Informative and interesting.

By Richard K

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Aug 18, 2017

very informative

By YASSINE I M

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Sep 15, 2021

thank you (: !!

By Temothawis A

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Jan 30, 2023

many thanks

By Marie J

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Apr 29, 2020

Very intere

By Colin C

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Aug 1, 2017

I would say this is a very helpful course for those interested in intensive/ factory farming chicken production. It touches on the basics of keeping backyard chickens, but does not offer many recourse on this topic. I would like to see a course similar to this one but more information on small scale organic/ free range set ups. I would also have appreciated a more in depth look into the economics and marketing of chicken products. Why is it that large scale operations tend to be more economically viable than their small scale counter parts. I would like to hear from more small scale produces and the problems/ benefits of their systems. Thank you for the free course non the less it was interesting to see how the different style and size of the operations operate and perform!

By Emma W

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Sep 14, 2017

I learnt a great amount about chicken behaviour (except their calls which I would like to know more about). However the course is too aimed at commercial breeders, so it wasn't as relevant to my backyard chickens as I would have liked. Weeks 1, 2 and 3 are quite relevant and helpful to backyard breeders (week 3 particularly for those who want to breed chicks). Weeks 4 & 5 I feel like they are justifying factory farms, more than educating about chickens. More information about backyard housing and specifics about diet (percentages of protein/carbs/fats & where to get these) would be appreciated. Well worth paying for if you would like proof of knowledge for the industry. Or even for weeks 1, 2 and 3, if you'd like a certificate to show your girls.

By Ana B

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Apr 26, 2017

Se trata de un curso bastante general sobre el B.A. que recomiendo a gente que se quiera informar sobre el tema, pero no necesita profundizar en ello. Lo que más me gustó fueron los primeros temas para aprender a diferenciar los tipos de picaje que presentan las aves.

Agradecería se profundizara más en algunos temas, como actualmente la polémica existente sobre la matanza de los pollitos macho de un día, el corte de picos, los sistemas en jaulas... Y se centra mucho en UK, en vez de en general.

By dell s

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Oct 20, 2016

pretty basic information with lots of repetition. course is short and really can be completed in an evening or two. instructor is knowledgeable. video of lecture doesn't add to presentation. there are few examples or interactive sessions and most of the time the instruction just speaks in front of a chicken cage. if i evaluate this course dispassionately then i don't think there is much difference between watching this course and reading a 5-10 page article.

By Claire G

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Jun 21, 2022

Very informative and educational and I learned some unexpected information. The format was a bit repetitive and some of thr links to You Tube videos could no longer be accessed. I found it difficult to use the notes - but possibly because I was using an iPad. Thank you.

By Sarah H

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Aug 27, 2017

The first few weeks were good - where it was actually about chicken behaviour. Not interested in the continued justification of industrial ag and the vilification of free range and home raised chickens.

By Nancy s

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Jan 11, 2022

I wanted to learn more about diseases and way less about commercial chickens. Definitely did not want to learn about slaughtering

By Kelly L

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May 26, 2017

This is geared more to the industry than it is to breeders and back yard flock keepers. Still has good information i

By Claire C

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Jan 18, 2017

nice teacher but the course is too succint.

Each lecture is very short and theoritical with little visual content. the course could/should be more detailed and a section of the course should relate to backyard chicken farming as well. i wish there also had been a section on how to recognise different illnesses in chickens and demonstration on how to humanely kill a chicken for example.

I enjoyed the course for what it was but i wish it had been taught with far more depth and breadth