Bird

Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage

Feather pecking (FP) has been a longstanding concern in avian welfare because of its potential to inflict harm on bird plumage. Researchers have proposed the redirection hypothesis in studies investigating factors influencing FP, positing that pecking feathers serve as a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Wen, J., Yang, S., Zhu, J. et al. 2025. Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106584.

A gentling program decreases fear-related behaviour towards humans but not towards novel objects in broiler chickens

The human-animal-relationship is a crucial aspect of good animal welfare. Improvements in this regard might be particularly relevant for chickens, as their relationship with humans in commercial husbandry conditions is often limited to brief animal inspections (visual contact) on a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Stocker, T., Nawroth, C., Puppe, B. et al. 2025. A gentling program decreases fear-related behaviour towards humans but not towards novel objects in broiler chickens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 290, 106710.

Evaluation of welfare indicators for companion parrots: A Delphi consultation survey

Parrots can experience several welfare challenges when kept as companions. Despite their popularity no science-based guidelines are available to assess parrot welfare. The aim of this Delphi study was to establish consensus on welfare indicators that could be meaningful and...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Piseddu, A., van Zeeland, Y. R. A., Rault, J.-L. 2025. Evaluation of welfare indicators for companion parrots: A Delphi consultation survey. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 283, 106526.

Assessing the motivation of laying hens to outdoor space access

The present study aimed at evaluating the motivation of laying hens to access outdoor space and their behavior under indoor and outdoor conditions. A total of 54 laying hens (White Leghorns) at 38 weeks of age were housed in two...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Mancinelli, A. C., Chiattelli, D., Menchetti, L. et al. 2025. Assessing the motivation of laying hens to outdoor space access. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106581.

Smart farming and Artificial Intelligence (AI): How can we ensure that animal welfare is a priority?

The increasing use of technology in livestock farming has the potential for making farming easier and more efficient and for improving animal welfare. There are also, however, potential dangers, one of which is that animal welfare becomes subordinated to the...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Dawkins, M. S. 2025. Smart farming and Artificial Intelligence (AI): How can we ensure that animal welfare is a priority? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 283, 106519.

Social learning during human-animal interaction: Effects on broiler chickens’ behavior

Human-animal interactions play a great role in animal welfare. Despite that chickens can establish positive bonds with humans, it remains unknown if broiler chickens can do this via social learning. This study examined whether observing conspecifics undergoing gentle handling (demonstrator...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Calderón-Amor, J., Tadich, T., Lecorps, B. et al. 2025. Social learning during human-animal interaction: Effects on broiler chickens’ behavior. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106586.

Analysis of risk factors of feather pecking injurious behavior in experimentally raised Yangzhou goslings in China (2025)

Feather pecking can influence the welfare and health concerns of all farmed poultry and affect production and economic aspects. Although some information is available about feather pecking behavior in chickens and ducks, the risk factors of feather pecking in goslings...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Wang, M., Wang, G., Gu, W. et al. 2025. Analysis of risk factors of feather pecking injurious behavior in experimentally raised Yangzhou goslings in China. Animals 15(5), 616.

Effects of free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics and welfare indicators in geese (2025)

Recently, free-range poultry production has increased with notable benefits for animal welfare and meat quality traits. Geese, the third-most productive poultry species, have not been studied extensively. This study investigated the effects of different free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Wang, G., Chen, J., Guo, Y. et al. 2025. Effects of free-range systems on muscle fiber characteristics and welfare indicators in geese. Animals 15(3), 304.

Contrafreeloading and its influencing factors in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus): Implications for their feeding and welfare (2025)

Contrafreeloading (CFL) refers to animals' tendency to prefer obtaining food through effort rather than accessing food that is freely available. Researchers have proposed various hypotheses to explain this intriguing phenomenon, but few studies have provided a comprehensive analysis of the...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Tao, Y., Zhu, Y.-T., Li, H. et al. 2025. Contrafreeloading and its influencing factors in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus): Implications for their feeding and welfare. Animal Welfare 34, e21

Alleviating isolation stress in chickens: The benefits of home pen playback and mirrors (2025)

This study investigated whether the provision of (1) a mirror or (2) video and sound playback of conspecifics in the home pen (i.e., playback) could alleviate stress in socially isolated adult domestic chickens. Thirty adult chickens participated in the study,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Sirovnik, J. 2025. Alleviating isolation stress in chickens: The benefits of home pen playback and mirrors. PLOS ONE 20(2), e0318126.