Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
In utero Measurement of Heart Rate in Mouse by Noninvasive M-mode Echocardiography
Published on: November 22, 2013
Non-invasive determination of heart rate in newly hatched chicks
H Tazawa1, M Takami, K Kobayashi
1Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan.
Insights
Newly hatched chicks
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Animal Physiology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Embryonic heart rate (HR) in domestic fowl is well-documented.
- Post-hatching cardiovascular development and HR variability in chicks require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To non-invasively measure and characterize heart rate (HR) in newly hatched domestic fowl chicks during their first week post-hatching.
- To compare post-hatching HR with previously recorded embryonic HR data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a flexible piezoelectric probe for non-invasive detection of cardiogenic precordial movements.
- Daily HR measurements were taken for five domestic fowl chicks from day 0 (hatching) through the first week.
- Data were compared with pre-existing measurements of embryonic HR.
Main Results:
- Post-hatching HR in chicks exhibited greater variability compared to embryonic HR.
- Mean HR on day 0 was 280 +/- 20 bpm, comparable to pre-pipping embryonic HR but lower than externally pipped embryos.
- Mean HR increased to 342 +/- 39 bpm by day 3 post-hatching.
- Significant individual variation in mean HR was observed among the five chicks studied.
Conclusions:
- Non-invasive piezoelectric monitoring provides a viable method for assessing chick cardiovascular function.
- Chick HR undergoes rapid changes and exhibits increased variability immediately after hatching.
- Post-hatching cardiovascular development shows significant individual differences in domestic fowl.
Abstract:
1. Using a flexible piezoelectric probe, we detected non-invasively the cardiogenic precordial movements of domestic fowl chicks and measured heart rate (HR) daily over the first week after hatching (day 0) for comparison with previously measured embryonic HR. 2. HR of the hatchlings was much more variable than embryonic HR. The mean HR at a given age also varied among the 5 chicks measured. 3. The overall mean HR was 280 +/- 20 (SD, n = 5) bpm on day 0. This value was similar to the prepipping HR and lower than that of externally pipped embryos. It increased to 342 +/- 39 bpm 3 days later.
