Study proves it:

Chickens also blush when excited

A study has now revealed that chickens also blush when excited.(Bild: APA/dpa/Felix Kästle)

Just like humans, chickens can blush when excited. This is the result of a study by the French Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), which was published in the journal "Applied Animal Behavior Science". It is possible that the redness could be used as an indicator of animal welfare in the future.

Previously, the typical human characteristic of blushing when excited had already been shown in certain vultures and macaws.

Chickens blush when excited
In the experiment, six domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were observed in a large enclosure in the Loire Valley over a period of three weeks and filmed in various situations, such as when they were fed or caught. Image software was then used to measure the degree of redness on their faces. The result: according to the researchers, the chickens' faces became red to varying degrees depending on their emotional state.

When they were given appetizing food, they only blushed a little. However, if they had a negative experience and were captured, for example, the animals' faces turned scarlet red. At rest, however, the animals' skin was reportedly much lighter in color.

Reaction to humans investigated
On this basis, the researchers led by Aline Bertin and Cécile Arnould from INRAE investigated the relationship between humans and animals. They gradually acclimatized 13 hens to the presence of an experimenter over a period of five weeks. In contrast to other hens that were not habituated to a human, the first group retained a lighter skin color in the presence of the experimenter. According to the information provided, this could indicate that they perceive humans more positively than the hens that were not previously habituated to a person.

This research has opened up new perspectives on the forms of expression of chickens. These included, for example, the movement of the head feathers, but also how the chickens' facial color changes during play, frustration or social interaction.