Domestication and social environment modulate fear responses in young chickens

Gjöen, JohannaLinköpings universitet,Biologi,Tekniska fakulteten,AVIAN Behavioural Physiology and Genomics Group (författare)

Funding Agencies|Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [W1262-B29]; Swedish Research Council [2019-04869]
Domesticated species differ from their wild ancestors in a mosaic of traits. Classical domestication theories agree that reactivity to fear and stress is one of the main traits affected. Domesticated species are expected to be less fear and stress prone to than their wild counterparts. To test this hypothesis, we compared the behavioural responses of White Leghorn (WL) chicks to their wild counterparts, Red Junglefowl (RJF) chicks in risk-taking situations. In order to obtain food, the chicks faced an unknown and potentially harmful object at the presence or absence of a social partner. We found that according to our predictions, RJF were more stressed and fearful of the object than the WL. Still, RJF were more explorative than WL. Additionally, the presence of a social partner reduced the fear response in both, but had a stronger effect on RJF. Finally, WL were more food orientated than the RJF. Our results confirmed classical domestication hypotheses of downregulation of the stress system and importance of the social partner in domesticated farm chicken.

NATURVETENSKAP Biologi Etologi hsv//swe
NATURAL SCIENCES Biological Sciences Behavioural Sciences Biology hsv//eng
Chicken; Domestication; Red junglefowl; Risk-taking; Social buffer; Social support; Stress response

Jean-Joseph, HillaryUniv Vienna, Austria; Univ Vet Med, Austria (författare)
Kotrschal, KurtUniv Vienna, Austria (författare)
Jensen, PerLinköpings universitet,Biologi,Tekniska fakulteten,AVIAN Behavioural Physiology and Genomics Group(Swepub:liu)perje15 (författare)
Linköpings universitetBiologi (creator_code:org_t)

Av författaren/redakt...: Gjöen, Johanna; Jean-Joseph, Hil ...; Kotrschal, Kurt; Jensen, Per

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