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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
09:32
Evaluation of Auditory Brainstem Response in Chicken Hatchlings
Published on: April 1, 2022
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Chicken hatchlings prefer ambient temperatures lower than their thermoneutral zone
Paula Andrea Toro-Velasquez1, Kênia C Bícego2, Jacopo P Mortola3
1Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, College of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
Summary
Chicken hatchlings prefer a lower ambient temperature than their thermoneutral lower critical temperature (LCT). This preferred ambient temperature (Tapref) results in higher oxygen consumption, indicating thermal preference doesn't align with thermoneutrality.
Area of Science:
- Animal Physiology
- Thermoregulation
- Avian Biology
Background:
- Precocial neonates like 1-day-old chickens possess advanced locomotory skills and thermogenesis.
- Understanding thermal preferences is crucial for optimizing early development and welfare in poultry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the preferred ambient temperature (Tapref) of chicken hatchlings aligns with their lower critical temperature (LCT).
- To investigate the relationship between thermal preference and metabolic rate (oxygen consumption) in young chickens.
Main Methods:
- Measuring preferred ambient temperature (Tapref) using a thermocline with single or paired 1-day-old chicks.
- Calculating the lower critical temperature (LCT) by analyzing the relationship between ambient temperature and oxygen consumption (V̇(O(2))) via respirometry.
- Comparing Tapref and LCT values and their implications for metabolic rate.
Main Results:
- The average Tapref for chicken hatchlings was approximately 33.5 °C.
- The computed LCT averaged between 36.4 °C and 36.8 °C, significantly higher than Tapref.
- At their preferred temperature, hatchlings exhibited higher oxygen consumption than at thermoneutrality.
Conclusions:
- Chicken hatchlings do not select a preferred ambient temperature that coincides with their thermoneutral lower critical temperature.
- The discrepancy suggests that thermal preference may be influenced by factors beyond thermoregulation, potentially related to developmental needs.
- This finding has implications for understanding avian development and optimizing environmental conditions for young poultry.
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