Hens appear to blush when scared or excited, researchers find

Study offers new ways to assess animal welfare in industry and could lead to happier flocks

Mark Twain wrote that Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to". New research seems to have proved him wrong, however, with the discovery that hens have the capacity to blush and use other forms of facial expression.

Researchers in France found that female chickens appear to blush when they are scared or excited and fluff up their head feathers when they are content. The finding offers a new way of understanding the birds' emotions, which could help farmers judge the happiness of their flock.