Welfare and behavior of domestic chickens

The number of domestic chickens raised in France reaches several hundred million per year. Whether they are raised for commercial or personal purposes, ensuring conditions conducive to their physical and mental well-being is a crucial ethical issue.

To change the way people view these animals, to encourage everyone to consider their welfare as a necessity and to take action, this book aims to reveal the skills of domestic chickens. Through the rise of scientific research on their welfare and changes in European legislation on their protection, he traces how the sentience of farm animals has gradually been recognized since the second half of the 20(sup)th(/sup) century. He then clarifies the definition of animal welfare and how it can be measured, before detailing the sensory, social, emotional, and cognitive abilities of domestic chickens.

This book draws on more than twenty-five years of the author's experience with domestic chickens of various breeds, living in conditions ranging from thousands of individuals in confinement to a few individuals in semi-freedom. It is aimed at individuals and professionals who breed or work with these birds, as well as anyone who is curious to learn more about them.

Cécile Arnould holds a PhD in ethology and conducts research on the behavior and welfare of farmed birds at INRAE. Among other things, she has carried out expert assessments for the Ministry of Agriculture, the European Food Safety Authority, and the National Reference Center for Animal Welfare. She also participated in the European Welfare Quality® project.