Male chicks are extra sociable in the event that they had been grown in hotter eggs

Growing the temperature of egg incubators by 1°C or 2°C has proven promise to assist chickens deal with rising world temperatures. Now, analysis suggests it additionally makes male chicks extra sociable and probably much less aggressive as adults

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

Rising world temperatures imply that many researchers are on the lookout for methods to cease farmed chickens from overheating. This might contain exposing eggs to barely larger temperatures throughout incubation, with earlier analysis suggesting promising outcomes.

Nonetheless, the behavioural penalties in grownup chickens of this method are much less clear, significantly when it comes to the way it may have an effect on the sociability and aggressiveness of males, which influences flock well-being.

To be taught extra about this, Tomas Norton at KU Leuven, Belgium, and his …