Meet the researcher: Dr Lindsay Henderson

Dr Lindsay Henderson is a researcher at The Roslin Institute, specialising in avian behaviour, physiology, and welfare. She also serves as the Academic Liaison for the National Avian Research Facility (NARF) at The Roslin Institute, with a particular focus on the welfare of avian species used in research. Her AWF-funded research project, "Light during incubation: A significant, and understudied, welfare challenge for poultry" aims to inform industry on best practice to increase positive welfare in layer hens by the use of light during incubation.

Q: Can you introduce yourself??

My name is Lindsay, and I am a scientist at The Roslin Institute specialising in avian behaviour, physiology, and welfare. I also serve as the Academic Liaison for the National Avian Research Facility (NARF) at The Roslin Institute. Originally from Edinburgh, I hold a BSc in Zoology from the University of Glasgow and an MRes in Ecology from the University of York. I returned to the University of Glasgow to complete my PhD, which focused on how environmental conditions influence the breeding success, behaviour, and physiology of free-living birds. As a postdoctoral researcher, I conducted studies on reproductive and feeding behaviours in wild bird species, first at the University of California, Davis, and later at Newcastle University in the UK. I joined The Roslin Institute in 2020.?

Q: What are you currently working on and what does it involve??

With Prof Simone Meddle , we are currently working on an AWF-funded project investigating how light exposure during incubation affects the behaviour and welfare of layer chicks. The aim of this project is to determine whether varying light conditions during incubation influence how chicks perceive and interact with their environment, particularly in relation to their interactions with other chicks and environmental enrichment.?

In commercial settings, eggs are incubated in large incubators under dark conditions. In contrast, in a natural setting, a hen incubates her eggs while occasionally leaving the nest, with these breaks becoming more frequent as hatching approaches.?

Previous studies have suggested that light exposure during incubation can improve hatchability, enhance chick health, and reduce fearfulness. Building on this research, our study focuses on the early-life behaviour of chicks and their interactions with a dark shelter enrichment. By examining how light exposure during incubation influences behaviour and welfare, we aim to provide new insights into improving the rearing conditions of layer chicks.?

?The aim of this project is to determine whether varying light conditions during incubation influence how chicks perceive and interact with their environment [...] and provide new insights into improving the rearing conditions of layer chicks.

Q: What led you to work on this project? What made you apply for the AWF grant??

I have always been fascinated by animal behaviour, and growing up in a city, birds were the most common and diverse type of wild animals I encountered. Working at The Roslin Institute has significantly broadened my understanding of commercial poultry systems and the critical role chickens play in a wide range of research areas. At the National Avian Research Facility (NARF), I work with laboratory-housed chickens, where there is tremendous potential to enhance their welfare and wellbeing. The unique research environment available at the NARF also allows us to conduct studies where we can incubate, hatch and rear birds under controlled conditions. We thought this was an ideal opportunity to investigate how incubation conditions can help inform ‘Breeding for Better Welfare’ (NDLR: In 2021 AWF launched its three-year theme ‘Breeding for Better Welfare’, a wide-spanning theme encompassing serious welfare issues across a range of species, guiding the charity's research funding.)

Q: What fuelled your passion to study the topic??

The significance of this research lies in its potential to broadly impact poultry welfare. Successful early-life welfare interventions, such as providing light during incubation, could benefit all chickens—whether bred for meat (broilers), egg production, or scientific research.?

For me, this work is about going beyond meeting basic health requirements and finding innovative ways to enhance the overall wellbeing of animals.?

Q: What is your favourite aspect of the project??

My favourite part of the project is observing and analysing the behaviour of chicks. From the moment they hatch, chicks are highly active and display a wide range of behaviours, including social play. Despite having constant access to fresh water and food in captivity, chicks are naturally motivated to forage and spend a significant amount of time exploring their surroundings, scratching, and searching through the litter on the pen floor. Chickens are highly intelligent, social animals, and it is fascinating to explore how we can create environments that enable them to express their full range of natural behaviours.?

?Chickens are highly intelligent, social animals, and it is fascinating to explore how we can create environments that enable them to express their full range of natural behaviours.?

Q: Why is this project important/necessary??

Light exposure during early life plays a crucial role in brain development and behaviour, as well as influencing important production traits such as hatchability and chick growth. A simple light-dark cycle intervention has the potential to significantly improve the welfare of millions of birds each year. However, there are still fundamental gaps in our understanding of how light exposure during incubation affects early-life behaviour. To date, no studies have explored the impact of light during incubation on positive welfare indicators in commercial poultry.?

Light exposure during early life plays a crucial role in brain development and behaviour, as well as influencing important production traits such as hatchability and chick growth.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your job??

Day-to-day, I most enjoy conducting behavioural experiments and analysing the results to see if our predictions hold true. That said, research doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s vital to engage with industry professionals and animal caretakers to gain their insights on our work and explore how it could be applied to drive meaningful, real-world changes.?

Q: What would you like to achieve with your research project??

We hope to develop insights into how light during incubation can affect positive behaviours in poultry so that industry can understand the full benefits of making changes to current incubation practices.??

Q: What advice would you give to someone looking for a similar career??

It can be challenging to secure funding for projects and respond to obstacles when they arise, as they always do when running experiments. Having a drive to discover and being curious around your research is incredibly important to help you navigate these hurdles. Flexibility is also key. Career progression in academia isn’t as straightforward as it once was, and it’s important to explore other career paths that complement research and teaching.?