Subscribe now

Life

Male chicks are more sociable if they were grown in warmer eggs

Increasing the temperature of egg incubators by 1°C or 2°C has shown promise to help chickens cope with rising global temperatures. Now, research suggests it also makes male chicks more sociable and potentially less aggressive as adults

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

17 January 2023

Slight overheating chicken eggs during their incubation makes male chicks more sociable

Slight overheating chicken eggs during their incubation makes male chicks more sociable

Getty Images/Dancu Aleksandar

Rising global temperatures mean that many researchers are looking for ways to stop farmed chickens from overheating. This could involve exposing eggs to slightly higher temperatures during incubation, with previous research suggesting promising outcomes.

However, the behavioural consequences in adult chickens of this approach are less clear, particularly in terms of how it could affect the sociability and aggressiveness of males, which influences flock well-being.

To learn more about this, Tomas Norton at KU Leuven, Belgium, and his …

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 14th June 2023.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account