Chicks being transported with AI Monitoring

Chick Comfort: How to Keep Broiler Chicks Stress-Free During Transport

Nico Varela in Science & Nature December 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals insights into maintaining optimal microclimate conditions during chick transport, reducing stress and improving welfare for better performance."

Transporting day-old broiler chicks can be a stressful experience, impacting their welfare and subsequent production performance. Factors like thermal stress and inadequate air circulation during transport can lead to economic losses for poultry farmers. Therefore, maintaining an optimal microclimate during this crucial phase is essential.

The ideal microclimate for day-old chicks considers both the container environment and the conditions inside the chick boxes. While recommended container temperatures range between 22 and 31°C with 50% relative humidity, the chick boxes themselves ideally require temperatures of 32–35°C and 50–60% relative humidity. Understanding this thermal gradient is key to minimizing chick stress.

Recent research leverages artificial neural networks (ANN) to assess and predict the impact of transport microclimates on chick surface temperature, offering a promising tool for optimizing transport conditions and improving chick welfare.

Optimizing Chick Transport: What the Research Shows?

Chicks being transported with AI Monitoring

A study conducted in São Paulo, Brazil, monitored nine shipments of broiler chicks, assessing the microclimate within the transport truck and its impact on the chicks' surface temperature. Researchers used an air-conditioned truck with an average capacity of 380 boxes, selecting fourteen chick boxes per shipment to monitor five chicks per box. The mean surface temperature of chicks (MST) was measured using an infrared thermometer at loading and unloading. Air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and specific enthalpy (h) were recorded using seventeen data loggers.

The study employed artificial neural networks (ANN) to analyze the relationship between truck microclimate, chick box conditions, and chick surface temperature. Here’s a breakdown of the key variables:

Tcont: Air temperature inside the transport container.
Tbox: Air temperature inside the chick boxes.
RHcont: Relative humidity inside the transport container.
RHbox: Relative humidity inside the chick boxes.
MSTshipment: Mean surface temperature of chicks during shipment.
MSTload: Mean surface temperature of chicks during loading.
MSTunload: Mean surface temperature of chicks during unloading.

The ANN model revealed that the mean surface temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload) was a better predictor of their temperature during transport. This suggests that conditions at unloading significantly impact chick thermal stress. The best prediction of microclimatic conditions was obtained inside the boxes during the shipment. Further analysis established regression models to predict internal chick box temperature (Tbox) and the mean surface temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload).

Key Takeaways for Healthier Chicks

The study highlights the importance of maintaining optimal microclimate conditions during chick transport to minimize stress and improve welfare. By monitoring and adjusting temperature and humidity, poultry farmers can significantly impact the health and performance of their flocks.

The research underscores the value of using data-driven tools like artificial neural networks to predict and manage thermal stress in broiler chicks during transport. Implementing these technologies can lead to more efficient and humane practices.

Future research and improvements in truck acclimatization systems can further enhance chick comfort during transport. Standardization of load densities and optimization of airflow within containers are key areas for future development, resulting in reduced losses and improved welfare outcomes.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1590/1809-4430-eng.agric.v36n4p593-603/2016, Alternate LINK

Title: Prediction Of Mean Surface Temperature Of Broiler Chicks And Load Microclimate During Transport

Subject: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)

Journal: Engenharia Agrícola

Publisher: FapUNIFESP (SciELO)

Authors: Aérica C. Nazareno, Iran J. O. Da Silva, Danielle P. B. Fernandes

Published: 2016-08-01

Everything You Need To Know

Why is maintaining an optimal microclimate so important when transporting broiler chicks?

Maintaining an optimal microclimate during chick transport is essential because factors like thermal stress and inadequate air circulation can negatively impact the chicks' welfare and subsequent production performance, potentially leading to economic losses for poultry farmers. This involves careful management of temperature and humidity levels inside both the transport container (Tcont, RHcont) and the chick boxes (Tbox, RHbox).

What was a key finding about chick temperature in the research?

The research showed that the Mean Surface Temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload) is a key indicator of their overall thermal stress during transport. This means that the conditions experienced by the chicks at the point of unloading have a significant impact on their well-being. Paying close attention to the microclimate during unloading and focusing on maintaining optimal Mean Surface Temperature helps minimize stress and improve welfare.

What are the recommended temperature and humidity ranges for chick transport?

The recommended temperature ranges for chick transport are 22 to 31°C inside the transport container, with a relative humidity of 50%. However, inside the chick boxes, the ideal temperature range is 32 to 35°C, with a relative humidity of 50 to 60%. These differences highlight the importance of managing the thermal gradient between the container environment (Tcont, RHcont) and the immediate surroundings of the chicks (Tbox, RHbox).

How were Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) used in the research, and what did they reveal?

Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were used to predict the impact of transport microclimates on chick surface temperature and internal chick box temperature (Tbox). The ANN model revealed that the mean surface temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload) was a better predictor of their temperature during transport. This technology allows for a more precise understanding of how different factors like air temperature inside the container (Tcont) and relative humidity (RHcont) affect chick welfare.

How can poultry farmers use the research findings about temperature prediction to improve chick transport practices?

By using regression models to predict the internal chick box temperature (Tbox) and the mean surface temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload), poultry farmers can proactively adjust transport conditions to minimize stress. For example, if the model predicts that the Mean Surface Temperature of chicks at unloading (MSTunload) will be outside the optimal range, adjustments can be made to the air temperature inside the transport container (Tcont), relative humidity (RHcont) and air temperature inside the chick boxes (Tbox) to improve conditions before unloading. This data-driven approach helps ensure a more consistent and comfortable environment for the chicks.