Conditioning the Place Preferences of Domestic Chicks Using Food and Sound

Abstract

Food and sounds were used to condition 32 chicks to one side of a 2-compartment apparatus. This process was repeated in the alternate compartment with no food or sound present. Post-conditioning test sessions showed a conditioned place preference towards the area associated with food and away from the area associated with white noise but no significant effects were found for a food call or the sounds of other chicks. Overall, these results showed it was possible to use the conditioned place preference procedure to assess the effects of sounds and that the procedure has potential use for assessing other environmental stimuli.