Giving Chickens a Better Life: How a Busy Environment Boosts Their Well-being

Study Findings

Chickens raised in busy, stimulating environments exhibit notable changes in behavior and well-being. A recent study compared chickens in three enriched rooms with those in three plain rooms. Each room housed approximately 2,450 chickens and received natural light.

Behavioral Differences

• Activity Levels:
• Chickens in busy rooms walked 38% of the time, while those in plain rooms walked only 19%.
• They also explored or foraged 4% of the time, compared to just 1% in plain rooms.

• Both groups enjoyed dustbathing equally.

• Curiosity and Problem-Solving:
• Chickens in busy rooms were more likely to investigate new objects or people, indicating less fear and more curiosity.
• In a test where they had to exit a U-shaped area, these chickens left more often and made less noise, suggesting better problem-solving skills and memory.

Gut Health Variations

• Bacterial Composition:
• No significant differences in bacterial diversity were found.
• However, the types of bacteria differed:
• Chickens in busy rooms had more Bacteroidota.
• Those in plain rooms had more Bacillota.

Conclusion

Providing chickens with a stimulating environment helps them:

• Act more naturally
• Experience less stress
• Develop different gut bacteria

This could be a major step toward more humane chicken farming practices.