Domestic egg-laying hens,<i>Gallus gallus domesticus</i>, do not modulate flapping flight performance in response to wing condition

León, Brianna M; Tobalske, Bret W.; Sassi, Neila Ben; Garant, Renée; Powers, Donald R.; Harlander-Matauschek, Alexandra

doi:10.1098/rsos.210196

Cited by 11 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…It is possible that an increase in power output would result in more rapid fatigue of the flight muscles, and hens may opt to use ground resources to avoid associated energetic costs; however, this would require further investigation. In addition to an increase in wing loading, lost and damaged flight feathers are known to result in stability challenges [ 25 ], reduced aerodynamic efficiency [ 7 ] and poor maneuverability [ 19 ]. All these factors may cause a reduction in elevated resource access.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While these consequences would make flying upwards to access resources difficult, they may also result in challenges in descending safely from platforms. Even when fully feathered, it has been shown that laying hens descend at a velocity of approximately 3.94 m s −1 [ 19 ], compared to the 0.92 m s −1 and 0.85 m s −1 of the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ) and Diamond Dove ( Geopelia cuneata ), respectively [ 32 ]. This means that laying hens move downwards at a fast rate, which can result in injuries or pain upon impact with the ground.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Direct consequences of wing feather damage in laying hens include the loss of aerodynamic surface, a decreased ability to stabilize on perches and impaired balance [ 25 ]. Given that laying hens are ground-dwelling birds that already operate their wings at the maximal power output [ 19 ], feather damage may cause them to become constrained to the ground and less capable of accessing elevated spaces. In turn, this would suggest that individuals suffering from feather cover loss may be less inclined to seek out the resources they need.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of clipping of flight feathers on resource use in Gallus gallus domesticus

et al. 2022

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Ground-dwelling species of birds, such as domestic chickens ( Gallus gallus domesticus ), experience difficulties sustaining flight due to high wing loading. This limited flight ability may be exacerbated by loss of flight feathers that is prevalent among egg-laying chickens. Despite this, chickens housed in aviary style systems need to use flight to access essential resources stacked in vertical tiers. To understand the impact of flight feather loss on chickens' ability to access elevated resources, we clipped primary and secondary flight feathers for two hen strains (brown-feathered and white-feathered, n = 120), and recorded the time hens spent at elevated resources (feeders, nest-boxes). Results showed that flight feather clipping significantly reduced the percentage of time that hens spent at elevated resources compared to ground resources. When clipping both primary and secondary flight feathers, all hens exhibited greater than or equal to 38% reduction in time spent at elevated resources. When clipping only primary flight feathers, brown-feathered hens saw a greater than 50% reduction in time spent at elevated nest-boxes. Additionally, brown-feathered hens scarcely used the elevated feeder regardless of treatment. Clipping of flight feathers altered the amount of time hens spent at elevated resources, highlighting that distribution and accessibility of resources is an important consideration in commercial housing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of clipping of flight feathers on resource use in Gallus gallus domesticus

et al. 2022

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“…While some pecking is part of their natural behavior, SFP is a major behavioral problem as it causes feather cover damage and can develop into cannibalism ( 2 ). Birds rely on intact feather cover for thermoregulation/insulation and water-proofing ( 3 ), locomotion, and navigation of the environment ( 4 , 5 ), and social communication ( 6 ). SFP is deleterious to the health and welfare of farmed birds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regulatory T Cell Modulation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus Improves Feather Damage in Chickens

et al. 2022

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It is currently unclear whether potential probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria could affect behavioral problems in birds. To this end, we assessed whether a supplementation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 can reduce stress-induced severe feather pecking (SFP), feather damage and fearfulness in adult birds kept for egg laying. In parallel, we assessed SFP genotypic and phenotypic-related immune responses and aromatic amino acid status linked to neurotransmitter production. Social stress aggravated plumage damage, while L. rhamnosus treatment improved the birds' feather cover in non-stressed birds, but did not impact fearfulness. Our data demonstrate the significant impact of L. rhamnosus supplementation on the immune system. L. rhamnosus supplementation induced immunosuppressive regulatory T cells and cytotoxic T cells in both the cecal tonsils and the spleen. Birds exhibiting the SFP phenotype possessed lower levels of cecal tonsils regulatory T cells, splenic T helper cells and a lower TRP:(PHE+TYR). Together, these results suggest that bacteria may have beneficial effects on the avian immune response and may be useful therapeutic adjuncts to counteract SFP and plumage damage, thus increasing animal health and welfare.

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“…Certain chicken breeds are known to have only limited flight capacity or even completely lost their flight capacity ( e.g. , ukokkei and Polish breeds) and this is largely attributed to the unfitness of their plumage for such task ( Ekarius, 2007 ; León et al, 2021 ). Differences in flight capacity have also been reported depending on the weight of the breed: the heavier, the less prone to sustained flight ( Darwin, 1868 ; Schippers, Simons & Kippen, 2013 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Skeletal variation in bird domestication: limb proportions and sternum in chicken, with comparisons to mallard ducks and Muscovy ducks

Herrera-Castillo

Geiger

Núñez-León

et al. 2022

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Background Domestication, including selective breeding, can lead to morphological changes of biomechanical relevance. In birds, limb proportions and sternum characteristics are of great importance and have been studied in the past for their relation with flight, terrestrial locomotion and animal welfare. In this work we studied the effects of domestication and breed formation in limb proportions and sternum characteristics in chicken (Gallus gallus), mallard ducks (Anas plathyrhynchos) and Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata). Methods First, we quantified the proportional length of three long bones of the forelimb (humerus, radius, and carpometacarpus) and the hind limb (femur, tibiotarsus, and tarsometatarsus) in domestic chickens, mallard ducks, and Muscovy ducks and their wild counterparts. For this, we took linear measurements of these bones and compared their proportions in the wild vs. the domestic group in each species. In chicken, these comparisons could also be conducted among different breeds. We then evaluated the proportional differences in the context of static and ontogenetic allometry. Further, we compared discrete sternum characteristics in red jungle fowl and chicken breeds. In total, we examined limb bones of 287 specimens and keel bones of 63 specimens. Results We found a lack of significant change in the proportions of limb bones of chicken and Muscovy duck due to domestication, but significant differences in the case of mallard ducks. Variation of evolvability, allometric scaling, and heterochrony may serve to describe some of the patterns of change we report. Flight capacity loss in mallard ducks resulting from domestication may have a relation with the difference in limb proportions. The lack of variation in proportions that could distinguish domestic from wild forms of chicken and Muscovy ducks may reflect no selection for flight capacity during the domestication process in these groups. In chicken, some of the differences identified in the traits discussed are breed-dependent. The study of the sternum revealed that the condition of crooked keel was not unique to domestic chicken, that some sternal characteristics were more frequent in certain chicken breeds than in others, and that overall there were no keel characteristics that are unique for certain chicken breeds. Despite some similar morphological changes identified across species, this study highlights the lack of universal patterns in domestication and breed formation.

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Domestic egg-laying hens,Gallus gallus domesticus, do not modulate flapping flight performance in response to wing condition

Cited by 11 publications

References 58 publications

Effects of clipping of flight feathers on resource use in Gallus gallus domesticus

Effects of clipping of flight feathers on resource use in Gallus gallus domesticus

Regulatory T Cell Modulation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus Improves Feather Damage in Chickens

Skeletal variation in bird domestication: limb proportions and sternum in chicken, with comparisons to mallard ducks and Muscovy ducks

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