New Behavioral Handling Test Reveals Temperament Differences in Native Japanese Chickens

Abstract

It is well known in the poultry industry that fear and stress experienced during the handling of day-old chicks in commercial hatcheries can have long-lasting effects on their behavior later in life. These hatchery-related stresses are more intense and complex than those encountered in traditional behavioral tests. Consequently, a single behavioral test may not be sufficient to measure hatchery stresses and chicken temperament. In this study, we developed a new behavioral handling test for day-old chickens, which incorporated concepts from established behavioral tests used with both young and adult birds. The new test assessed 10 behavioral traits, including vocalization frequency and responses to human interaction. It was conducted on 96 two-day-old chicks from seven breeds of native Japanese and Western chickens. The results of the principal component analysis classified chicken temperaments into three distinct categories: bustle, aggression, and timidity. Using these categories, the seven breeds were classified into five groups, each with distinct temperaments. This study highlights the reliability and value of the new handling test in characterizing the temperaments of various chicken breeds and provides insights into the complex behaviors of chickens.

Production of Hepatocytes Derived from Chicken Embryos Across Three Developmental Stages

“…Birds have long been revered in the realm of basic and applied scienti c research due to their unique biological features and potential applications across various disciplines [1,2]. The fertilized egg of birds, along with cells derived from embryonic and adult tissues, represents invaluable resources for investigating fundamental concepts in developmental biology, embryology, pharmaceutical biotechnology, and vaccine production [3][4][5][6][7]. Among the myriad of organs in avian anatomy, the liver stands out as one of the largest and most complex, playing multifaceted roles essential for the organism's survival and well-being.…”