Overview
- University of Bristol researchers report in the peer‑reviewed journal Animal Welfare that gentle human contact triggers positive emotions in newly hatched chicks.
- In tests, 20 laying‑hen chicks chose between two color‑marked chambers, one paired with stroking and quiet talking and one with a silent human present.
- After repeated sessions, the chicks preferred the chamber linked to gentle handling, indicating attraction to pleasant contact rather than avoidance of a neutral person.
- Chicks in the gentle‑contact setting produced fewer loud distress calls, a common sign of stress in young birds.
- The authors say simple, calm handling in early life could shift the human–animal relationship from fear to a positive experience and support better welfare on farms.