Paris. Chickens also blush with emotions, a team of French researchers has found, in a finding that may open new clues to estimate the well-being of animals.
These birds feel “more or less important blushes depending on their emotional state,” indicates the French Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) in a statement this Tuesday, citing a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science.
Thanks to an imaging program and 18 thousand photographs of six Sussex breed hens observed at all times for three weeks, INRAE researchers were able to differentiate shades of blush in this species of chicken, whose reputation is for its egg laying.
On a farm in the Loire Valley, in central France, scientists found that chickens blushed when faced with mealworms, but turned scarlet during the negative experience of catching them.
When they were at rest, their skin appeared much lighter.
Based on this, the researchers isolated 13 chickens to accustom them to the presence of a human being for five weeks. Compared to other chickens, the scientists observed that the group subjected to the experiment showed a clearer appearance, which seemed “a calmer state” in the presence of the person.
“This indication may indicate a more positive perception of human presence, compared to other chickens that are not accustomed to humans, and may constitute a new tool to evaluate animal well-being,” INRAE states in the statement.
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– 2024-04-25 10:32:48
