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Factors Which May Affect the Precision of Experiments Employing Chickens

Department of Large Animal Clinical Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061; Phone: (540) 552-2154; FAX: (540) 231-3713

P. B. Siegel

Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061

Correspondence: W. B. Gross

Reported in this paper are factors which can increase differences between experimental group means and/or reduce variation with groups. Factors which affected the precision of research results included sex and body weight distribution with experimental caged flocks; comb type and beak trimming which influenced social rank; dose of chemicals and infectious agents and antigens; and chicken-human relationships. Experimental precision was especially affected when these factors influenced some but not all experimental groups. Increased precision of experimental procedures allows for reducing the numbers of animals and/or observations needed for experiments.

Key Words: Chicken-human relationship • experimental chickens • genetic stocks • infectious agents and antigens • research