Socialization as a factor in resistance to infection, feed efficiency, and response to antigen in chickens.

Chickens were habituated to human beings (socialized) by being talked to, offered food, and handled gently. After 7 weeks of socialization, the birds were challenge exposed with Escherichia coli. When compared with ignored groups, the socialized birds showed more than a 60% reduction in the prevalence of death and pericarditis. Furthermore, small flocks of socialized birds were more uniform in their response to E coli than were similar nonsocialized flocks. Socialized chickens also had improved feed efficiency and increased antibody response to canine RBC. Socialization was also applied easily to larger flocks of chickens.