Research demonstrates that hens show emotional contagion — sharing the stress of their chicks — providing evidence of a form of empathy that has profound implications for poultry welfare.
The discovery of emotional contagion in hens changes the welfare calculus for poultry. If hens share the distress of those around them, then systems that cause distress in some individuals create wider social suffering throughout the flock. This argues for welfare improvements that reduce the number of distressed individuals in any group, as each suffering bird creates additional welfare costs for flock-mates.