Data-behaviour.

This study investigated whether the provision of (1) a mirror or (2) video and sound playback of conspecifics in the home pen (i.e., playback) could alleviate stress in socially isolated adult domestic chickens. Thirty adult chickens participated in the study, undergoing three-minute sessions of social isolation over three consecutive days in an arena containing a tray of food treats. Each chicken was exposed to three conditions, one per day, in a semi-randomised order: (1) mirror, (2) playback, and (3) control. Video recordings of the tests were coded for stress-related behaviours, including stress behaviour (i.e., pooled stress vocalisations and escape behaviour), vigilance, feeding, and exploration. Additionally, thermal imaging was used to measure the surface temperatures of the eye and comb. Social isolation elicited mild stress responses, as evidenced by reduced surface eye and comb temperatures along with the exhibition of stress and vigilance behaviours. Both playback and mirror conditions appeared to reduce stress behaviours compared to the control, although the effect of the mirror was not statistically significant. It is possible that the playbacks simulated the presence of a group of calm conspecifics. Vigilance behaviour, however, remained unaffected across conditions. These findings suggest that playback, and to a lesser extent mirrors, may alleviate certain stress-related behaviours in socially isolated adult chickens. As individual variation was high, future research should explore the role of individual differences in stress responses, as well as the long-term effects of repeated exposure to mirrors and playback, along with other environmental variables.本研究旨在探究在成年家鸡的饲养栏中，提供(1)镜子或(2)同种个体的音视频回放（即回放处理），能否缓解社交孤立状态下的应激反应。本实验共纳入30只成年家鸡，所有个体均连续三天在放置有食物奖励托盘的行为测试箱中接受时长3分钟的社交孤立处理。每只家鸡以半随机顺序每日接受一种实验条件，共三种实验处理：(1)镜子组、(2)音视频回放组与(3)对照组。研究人员对测试全程进行录像，编码分析家鸡的应激相关行为，包括应激行为（即合并统计的应激鸣叫与逃逸行为）、警戒行为、摄食行为与探索行为。此外，通过热成像技术采集家鸡眼部与肉冠的表面温度数据。社交孤立成功诱发了轻度应激反应，具体表现为眼部与肉冠表面温度降低，同时家鸡展现出应激与警戒行为。与对照组相比，音视频回放组与镜子组均表现出应激行为减少的趋势，尽管镜子组的效应未达到统计学显著性水平。推测音视频回放或可模拟出同种个体群的平静存在状态。但无论接受何种实验处理，家鸡的警戒行为均未受到显著影响。上述研究结果表明，音视频回放（以及效果稍弱的镜子）或可缓解社交孤立成年家鸡的部分应激相关行为。鉴于个体间差异较大，未来研究应进一步探究个体差异对应激反应的影响，以及反复暴露于镜子与音视频回放的长期效应，同时纳入其他环境变量开展相关研究。