Calmer chickens are more productive

A new breed of calmer chickens developed in the USA could reduce losses due to violence and cannibalism among laying hens while also removing the need to trim beaks.

William Muir, a leading scientist in poultry breeding and genetics at Purdue University, Indiana, has developed a breed of chicken which is calmer and more suited to life in large groups, reports the Washington Post.

The white leghorns are called “Kinder Gentler Birds” by Professor Muir and he believes the calmer hens will be more productive and have a longer life span due to lower stress and less energy being expended on fighting.

American farms are becoming interested in higher welfare for laying hens as consumer attitudes change and the EU moves towards enriched cages ahead of ban on conventional cages in 2012.

Recently the American Egg Board launched a multi-million dollar campaign to educate consumers on the conditions of laying hens in the USA with a tie-in to children’s television programme Sesame Street.

Currently a Dutch company, Hendrix Genetics, is using Prof Muir’s breeding technique to produce the “gentler birds” and is expected to make the new breeds available in the next three years.