Common causes of stress in chickens and other poultry. Poultry growers can associate with high mortality, poor feed conversation, high feed intake, lower production, floor eggs, thin shells, low/slow weight gain, cannibalism, feather loss, pest, disease, etc.
Physical stress – catching, handling for treatments, transport. Social – overcrowding during brooding, rearing or in a small coop, mixture of sizes, rooster-to-hen ratio wrong. Psychological – fear of predators (dogs and cats included), being chased by children etc.
Aggression and feather pecking or plucking are the two most common behavioral problems in chickens. They may be related and possibly have similar underlying components, including stress, overcrowding, and competition over resources such as food.
Stress in chickens can happen as well as humans. Our hens are just like us and from time to time, they suffer from stress too and this can impact on their general wellbeing too.
Chickens are sensitive, nervous animals, which makes relocation a tricky business. Loud noises, disruptions, turbulence, bright lights, and open spaces can all contribute to poultry stress during the transportation process.
Healthy chickens are social, curious and should feel energized to freely move throughout the coop, run or backyard. A lack of movement, low head carriage and overall depressed appearance may be a sign that something is wrong.
If your chicken suddenly lunges at you and attacks, you can be pretty sure that you have an angry bird, but aggression isn't always this obvious. A bird will often puff up their feathers and strut about in a threat display when they see a potential threat, as a way of warding it off.
Evidence shows that chickens not only feel emotions but that their emotions can be complex. This includes both positive emotions, such as excitement for a treat, and negative ones, such as anxious anticipation of an unpleasant experience.
Most of us probably realize chickens are intelligent, and when not stimulated they can feel negative emotions such as boredom and frustration, but also happiness and excitement when they are stimulated.
Behavioral symptoms of stress
Avoidance of tasks; poor sleep; problems; difficulty in completing work assignments; fidgeting; tremors; strained face; clenching fists; crying; changes in drinking, eating, or smoking behaviors.
Dr. Michael Appleby, one of the world's leading poultry welfare experts, writes: "Battery cages present inherent animal welfare problems, most notably by their small size and barren conditions. Hens are unable to engage in many of their natural behaviors and endure high levels of stress and frustration.
Excess anxiety decreases the ability of commercial poultry to cope with changes in their environment such as transport, handling, and loud noises. In laying hens, the ABT reflected anxiety that was related to range usage [15,16].
Alektorophobia is an intense, uncontrollable fear of chickens. People with alektorophobia have excessive fear and anxiety around roosters or hens. They don't feel fear around any other animal or bird (ornithophobia).
Chickens can recognize up to 100 faces—and have been found to associate the faces they remember with the positive or negative experiences. Chickens can also show love and affection for the humans who care for them, and they certainly remember the humans they know and how those humans may have treated them.
Some mourn only temporarily, but others never seem to recover from the loss of a flockmate. It is not uncommon for a hen that was close to the departed to suddenly pass unexpectedly, for reasons unknown. She seems to slowly lose her zest for life.
Those of us who observe chickens on a daily basis see their memory and recall in action in a wide variety of everyday situations. Recent science tell us that chickens recognize over 100 individual faces even after several months of separation.
A bored chicken is an unhappy chicken, but luckily there are plenty of things available to keep your hens happy. The FSF Boredom Buster Pecking Ring is a tasty treat, made from wheat, seeds, fruit and molasses, perfect for hanging in your hen's run to give them something to peck at. The FSF flock absolutely love them.
Roosts can be round or square
This means that chickens prefer round or square/rectangular perches when compared to a flat perch such as a board. Studies have shown that square perches better distribute weight on the keel bone in comparison with round perches.
Not only do chickens enjoy being petted, but they also have a strong sense of empathy. During a session with a chicken, he'll likely peck at you, peep, and purr until you give him a treat. Besides being very smart, chickens are also incredibly affectionate.
Occasionally, a broody hen will scream more loudly at you, turning her grumble into a full-blown, enraged tantrum. She might also puff up her feathers and peck at you until you leave. If a broody hen gets off her eggs of her own accord (either to eat or to steal a drink of water) she will likely be miserable.
Aggressive behaviors in chickens can be automatic, genetic, or hormonal, and can even be learned behaviors from you or other chickens. It could be that your chicken was just born more aggressive, or it could be attempting to establish dominance over you and the flock.