Effects of Isolation on Stress Responses to Novel Stimuli in Subadult Chickens (<i>Gallus gallus</i>)

Weldon, Kimberly B.; Fanson, Kerry V.; Smith, Carolynn L.

doi:10.1111/eth.12529

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…However, this effect was mainly driven by the HC-E, indicating that enrichment actually increased the sensitivity to social isolation. Socially isolating young chicks is well known to elicit a stress-response [44][45][46][47][48], and our results are…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Can Early Environmental Enrichment Buffer Stress from Commercial Hatchery Processing in Laying Hens?

Hedlund¹,

Poucke²,

Jensen³

2022

Poultry

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Under commercial conditions, laying hen chicks are exposed to a range of stressful events immediately after hatch. Here, we studied whether environmental enrichment was able to reduce the stress sensitivity of these chicks. A total of 50 hatchery chicks (HC) and 50 control chicks (CC) were raised in enriched pens (E), while 53 HC + 53 CC were raised in standard non-enriched floor pens (NE). HC weighed less on day one, but there was no effect of hatchery treatment at later ages. HC were more pessimistic in a cognitive judgement bias test and emitted more distress calls when socially isolated, indicating that hatchery stress affected behaviour and stress sensitivity. However, enrichment did not affect the behaviour in any of these tests. We found no effects of hatchery stress in a novel environment, but indications that enrichment may have increased fearfulness of HC. The sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis was reduced in HC-E compared to HC-NE, indicating that enrichment buffered the physiological stress sensitivity in HC; however, the opposite pattern was found in CC. In conclusion, our results show complex and somewhat contradictory effects on the ability of enrichment to buffer the consequences of stress in commercial hatcheries.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Can Early Environmental Enrichment Buffer Stress from Commercial Hatchery Processing in Laying Hens?

Hedlund¹,

Poucke²,

Jensen³

2022

Poultry

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“…Movement in a novel environment likely entails a trade-off between motivation to reinstate social contact, motivation to explore the environment and motivation to avoid detection by potential predators 51 . In a previous study on domestic young chicks, it was concluded that young female chicks have a higher motivation for social reinstatement than males in a novel environment 52 , and a short latency to leave a start box has previously been linked to stress in chickens 51 . This in turn suggests that a short latency to move for our young female chicks most likely reflects a high motivation for social reinstatement.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental complexity buffers against stress-induced negative judgement bias in female chickens

Zidar

Campderrich

Jansson

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Cognitive processes are often biased by emotions. In humans, affective disorders are accompanied by pessimistic judgement, while optimistic judgement is linked to emotional stability. Similar to humans, animals tend to interpret ambiguous stimuli negatively after experiencing stressful events, although the long-lasting impact on judgement bias has rarely been investigated. We measure judgement bias in female chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) after exposure to cold stress, and before and after exposure to additional unpredictable stressors. Additionally, we explore if brain monoamines can explain differences in judgement bias. Chicks exposed to cold stress did not differ in judgement bias compared to controls, but showed sensitivity to additional stressors by having higher motivation for social reinstatement. Environmental complexity reduced stress-induced negative judgement bias, by maintaining an optimistic bias in individuals housed in complex conditions even after stress exposure. Moreover, judgement bias was related to dopamine turnover rate in mesencephalon, with higher activity in individuals that had a more optimistic response. These results demonstrate that environmental complexity can buffer against negative effects of additive stress and that dopamine relates to judgement bias in chicks. These results reveal that both internal and external factors can mediate emotionally biased judgement in animals, thus showing similarities to findings in humans.

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“…Therefore, 99% of breeders experience isolation stress for more than 2 weeks. It has been suggested that the severity of isolation stress is higher for females than males and that multiple periods of 2‐week long isolation events dampen the stress response over time (Weldon et al., 2016 ). The reason for sex‐dependent severity of isolation stress is the natural dispersal pattern in males.…”

Section: Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Welfare of broilers on farm

Nielsen¹,

Álvarez²,

Bicout³

et al. 2023

EFS2

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This Scientific Opinion considers the welfare of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus) related to the production of meat (broilers) and includes the keeping of day-old chicks, broiler breeders, and broiler chickens. Currently used husbandry systems in the EU are described. Overall, 19 highly relevant welfare consequences (WCs) were identified based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: 'bone lesions', 'cold stress', 'gastro-enteric disorders', 'group stress', 'handling stress', 'heat stress', 'isolation stress', 'inability to perform comfort behaviour', 'inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour', 'inability to avoid unwanted sexual behaviour', 'locomotory disorders', 'prolonged hunger', 'prolonged thirst', 'predation stress', 'restriction of movement', 'resting problems', 'sensory under-and overstimulation', 'soft tissue and integument damage' and 'umbilical disorders'. These WCs and their animal-based measures (ABMs) that can identify them are described in detail. A variety of hazards related to the different husbandry systems were identified as well as ABMs for assessing the different WCs. Measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate each of the WCs are listed. Recommendations are provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of broilers and related to genetic selection, temperature, feed and water restriction, use of cages, light, air quality and mutilations in breeders such as beak trimming, de-toeing and comb dubbing. In addition, minimal requirements (e.g. stocking density, group size, nests, provision of litter, perches and platforms, drinkers and feeders, of covered veranda and outdoor range) for an enclosure for keeping broiler chickens (fast-growing, slower-growing and broiler breeders) are recommended. Finally, 'total mortality', 'wounds', 'carcass condemnation' and 'footpad dermatitis' are proposed as indicators for monitoring at slaughter the welfare of broilers on-farm.

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Effects of Isolation on Stress Responses to Novel Stimuli in Subadult Chickens (Gallus gallus)

Cited by 7 publications

References 47 publications

Can Early Environmental Enrichment Buffer Stress from Commercial Hatchery Processing in Laying Hens?

Can Early Environmental Enrichment Buffer Stress from Commercial Hatchery Processing in Laying Hens?

Environmental complexity buffers against stress-induced negative judgement bias in female chickens

Welfare of broilers on farm

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