Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. August 2025
    2. 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    3. July 2025
    4. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. January 2025
    13. December 2024
    14. November 2024
    15. October 2024
    16. September 2024
    17. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    18. August 2024
    19. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    20. July 2024
    21. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. March 2024
    28. February 2024
    29. January 2024
    30. December 2023
    31. November 2023
    32. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    33. October 2023
    34. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    35. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    By Chloe RyanAugust 13, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    August 13, 2025

    2025 Poultry Health supplement out now

    August 13, 2025

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
News

New research into bird hunger aims to aid poultry welfare

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanNovember 29, 20192 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

Brain processes controlling hunger in birds are to be examined, to better understand how stress experienced during development in the egg impacts on chicks’ appetite after they hatch.

Researchers hope to discover whether the development of brain circuits linked to hunger and satiety are affected by stress hormones in early life.

Findings from the £500,000 project, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, could inform welfare management in the egg and poultry industries.

Studies of quail – which are well developed and active upon hatching – will investigate whether stress during development causes misregulation in their brain circuits, impacting appetite regulation.

The results will offer valuable insights on stress, which is known to have lifelong consequences for birds, linked to survival, breeding success, productivity, and health of offspring.

Researchers at the Roslin Institute will investigate the effects that a stress hormone, corticosterone, has in fertilised quail eggs, mimicking the hormone signal deposited by stressed mother birds into their eggs.

Researchers will study embryos and chicks to compare the biological pathways for hunger and satiety in the brains of birds that have been exposed to stress with those that have not. They will also investigate whether early life stress affects feeding behaviour in newly hatched chicks.

The team will study gene activity to examine whether the key hormone and neural circuits that control appetite are changed in embryos and chicks that have experienced early life stress.

Electrical impulses in brain circuits linked to feeding will be recorded to investigate whether early life stress changes cells’ sensitivity to glucose, which would impact on the body’s metabolism – how much energy it needs to function.

Glucose levels in birds’ brains are much higher than in mammals, indicating that glucose regulation may be more important in birds than in other species.

Professor Simone Meddle, Professor of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology, Roslin Institute, said: “This research will provide unique insights into the brain mechanisms that regulate appetite in newly hatched chicks and shed light on the mechanisms by which early life stress may program feeding circuits in the brain. Our findings could lead to improvements in the industrial management and welfare of eggs and chicks, and lead to significant economic benefits.”

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleUpdated forms needed for EA poultry environmental permits
Next Article Avara invests £6.5 million in Hereford site
Chloe Ryan

Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

Read Similar Stories

News

Farmers ranked second most respected profession, NFU survey shows

September 10, 20251 Min Read
News

Domino’s launches Chick ’N’ Dip to expand into fast-growing chicken market

September 10, 20251 Min Read
News

EU poultry sector asks for more protection against imports at AVEC general assembly

September 9, 20252 Mins Read
Latest News

Four areas of biosecurity to consider when building or adapting poultry houses

September 12, 2025

Comment: Are you managing your litter responsibly?

September 12, 2025

Global egg market to grow 22% by 2035

September 11, 2025
Sponsored Content

How can UK farmers make poultry profitable without losing welfare?

September 1, 2025

Precision Nutrition: A global approach to reducing broiler feed cost.

August 1, 2025
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.