Feather pecking and cannibalism

Feather pecking and cannibalism

Feather pecking is an issue that every poultry farmer is familiar with. If left unchecked, severe feather pecking can lead to wounding and the development of cannibalism. Bird-to-bird aggression and dominance behaviour is a normal part of flock life – we have all heard of ‘the pecking order’. But cannibalism differs from the usual dominance behaviour in that it causes actual bodily harm. Once it starts it can escalate quickly – wherever blood is drawn, other chickens will go for it. Preventing it from happening in the first place is much easier than treating a fully blown outbreak.

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Reasons for cannibalism

In order to limit outbreaks of cannibalism it is helpful to establish the reasons why it might happen in the first place.

 

Stress

One of the major contributing factors to outbreaks of feather pecking and cannibalism is stress, and birds can become stressed for many reasons.

  • Infestations – an infestation of red mite can cause distress, making noise levels increase, further adding to the stress load.
  • Extremely bright light or excessively long periods of light will cause birds to become hostile toward one another.
  • Boredom and overly unnatural environments that restrict or limit normal behaviour such as foraging or perching.
  • Excessive heat and lack of ventilation.
  • Sudden changes in environment – for example when the birds are moved from one area to another or when enforced housing is required.
  • Peak laying times can also create heightened stress levels.

 

Not removing birds that may become targets

If sick, injured or underweight birds are not removed promptly, they are likely to be attacked, and once blood is drawn a full-blown attack can occur. In layers, a prolapse of the uterus can also attract attention. When the uterus is exposed for a period of time, other birds will see it and pick at it out of curiosity. Once they pick at the uterus it bleeds and the picking quickly progresses to cannibalism.

 

Feeding

Limited access to food and/or water, or inadequate feeding space or equipment failure, can lead to competition for resources and cannibalistic behaviour. If the flock does not have adequate food and water, they will compete over the limited supplies, leading to pecking. In addition to this, if birds are hungry, they will look for other ways to satisfy their nutritional needs – feather pecking and cannibalism.

 

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Nutrition

Fast growing, high yielding birds require optimum levels of nutrition. It is thought that a deficiency in protein can make birds hungry for feathers and blood, as feathers are a source of protein. Protein plays a significant role in growth, egg production, immunity and many other biological functions – it is essential to a bird’s health. A poor plumage can be an indication of an unhealthy bird, and any obvious signs of weakness in the flock combined with a craving for protein can easily lead to pecking and cannibalism.

However, it is not necessarily a question of adding more protein to the diet but rather of ensuring that the protein already present in the feed is adequately absorbed. Lack of protein can often be caused by deficiencies elsewhere in the diet, which either affect the appetite of the bird or its ability to absorb protein from its feed. Cannibalism has been linked to a lack of sodium, phosphorous and essential amino acids such as methionine.

A shortage of sodium can affect appetite and vitality, and phosphorous plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism, fat metabolism and the regulation of acid-base balance in the body. Methionine is essential for protein synthesis – if it is not present in sufficient quantities, protein synthesis in the bird is limited – hence methionine being called a ‘limiting amino acid’.

 

Preventing outbreaks

One of the methods poultry farmers have traditionally used to limit the damage that birds could inflict on each other was beak trimming. However, the practice of beak trimming is becoming obsolete in the UK, either because of anticipated legislation banning it or because of codes of practice in potential export countries. This makes prevention of outbreaks of cannibalism even more important than before.

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Reducing stress levels

There are many relatively easy steps that can de taken to reduce stress levels in a flock.

  • At the first signs of pecking, dimming the lights will reduce the visibility of the tail feathers.
  • Playing the radio can provide ambient background noise.
  • Enrichment such as pecking blocks, foraging items and shiny hanging objects can provide distraction and reduce boredom. Pecking blocks are also a source of nutrition and can blunt beaks to a certain extent (note: it’s essential to get the correct hardness of pecking block).
  • Farmers frequenting the sheds more often helps to get the birds become used to noise/interruption.
  • If moving a flock, move something familiar with them so that the new environment is not entirely unfamiliar.

Keeping a close eye on flocks

Well managed, well-fed flocks are less likely to suffer from outbreaks of cannibalism. At the first signs of illness, birds that may become targets should be removed. If a bird has been pecked, it should be isolated or it can be sprayed with a pecking deterrent such as Scarper Stop.

 

Optimum nutrition

Optimum nutrition sets a flock up for success, and an amino acid/mineral supplement can help your flock to extract maximum benefit from its regular feed, keeping it happy and healthy. The supplement can be used as a cost-effective boost at specific times of stress or at the first signs of unrest in a flock. Interhatch has a range of supplements to choose from:

  • Agrivite Hepatix is a unique combination of amino acids, including methionine, which stimulates digestion and appetite by increasing the activation and secretion of digestive enzymes. It also acts as a hepatic regulator to prevent fatty liver disease.
  • Agrivite Vitamix-A contains a broad spectrum of vitamins and amino acids to support nutritional balance during times of stress, early growth and development, especially where there is an amino acid imbalance or deficiency.
  • Agrivite Solulyte is a nutritional aid which replaces electrolytes and body salts in the bird. It is especially useful at times of stress, being moved from one area to another and when dealing with challenging heat situations.
  • Agrivite Hydro-D3 is an activated vitamin D3 metabolite which regulates calcium and phosphorus absorption, giving your flock a phosphorous boost.

Every flock is different and the needs vary according to place in the life cycle and environmental factors, so we recommend speaking to one of our experts in order to choose the best supplement for your circumstances.

 

Setting a flock up for success

You cannot entirely eradicate cannibalism in flocks and outbreaks will always occur, however well you manage your flock. Cannibalism obviously affects the health and performance of your flock, but is also an upsetting phenomenon to witness and deal with. It is important to take measures to help prevent it and to nip it in the bud when it starts happening. Good nutrition, a low-stress environment, and spotting the early signs of pecking are the key building blocks to keeping outbreaks to a minimum.