Cannibalism (or aggressive pecking)
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What causes cannibalism?
Cannibalism often starts as feather pulling or picking while the birds are only a few weeks old or as investigative pecking at any age. These behaviours can escalate to aggressive pecking, particularly if injury occurs. Scientific study has shown that any or a combination of stressors can also serve as triggers leading to serious aggressive pecking and cannibalism.
These stressors include crowding, bright light intensity, high room temperature, poor ventilation, high humidity, low salt, trace nutrient deficiency, insufficient feeding or drinking space, nervous and excitable birds (hereditary), external parasites, access to sick or injured birds, stress from moving, boredom and idleness, housing birds of different appearance together and birds prolapsing during egg-laying.
Prevention and treatment of cannibalism
Because it becomes a learned behaviour, cannibalism can be difficult to treat once it has started in a flock. Prevention should be the main aim of the poultry producer. Good husbandry practices should aim to minimise the stressors listed above as potential causes for cannibalism. Some strains of birds have been shown to have a higher tendency towards developing aggressive pecking behaviour and so strains that are more placid should be preferred.
The broad range of factors that can trigger cannibalism can make it very difficult for management to control all of these factors for the entire life of the flock. Bright light is a known factor leading to cannibalism but control of lighting levels in some poultry housing systems can be very difficult if not impossible, such as in free range systems. Where outbreaks of cannibalism have occurred in a flock, or where there is a reasonable concern that management strategies can not be guaranteed to prevent an outbreak, then beak trimming of the birds may be used as a control measure. Trimming of the sharp tip of the upper, and sometimes also lower, beak reduces the damage that is caused by aggressive pecking. Further information on the practice of beak trimming can be found in the section on Beak Trimming.
The spread of the behaviour may be able to be controlled if the injured and the aggressive birds can be rapidly identified and removed from the flock. Provision of escape areas may also help in floor-housed flocks. Other control methods that have been tested include the use of spectacles to prevent forward vision, bits that prevent complete closure of the beak and coloured contact lenses to prevent the identification of blood on another bird.
There is evidence that cannibalism may be alleviated through the use of high fibre diets. It is believed that high fibre diets enhance gut development and gizzard function, which in turn help reduce aggressive behaviour in hens.
Methods that can be used for controlling cannibalism are discussed in the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Domestic Poultry, which can be obtained from The CSIRO Publishing website
Related Topics
Cannibalism
Beak Trimming Methods
- Beak trimming
- Pros and cons of Hot Blade Trimming and Infra Red Beak Treatment
- Research: Beak Trimming Handbook
- Research: Laser beak-trimming and cannibalism
Alternatives to Beak Trimming
Further information
- Poultry Health Handbook 4th Ed, 1994. L. D. Schwartz, Pennsylvania State University.
External links
- Book: Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry, CSIRO Publishing Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry, Fourth Edition, Primary Industries Report Series 83.
- CSIRO Publishing - Beak Trimming handbook for Egg Producers Beak Trimming Handbook for Egg Producers - Best Practice for Minimising Cannibalism in Poultry
- Wikipedia article on Debeaking section dedicated to beak-trimming and animal welfare.
- The Merck Veterinary Manual has a section dedicated to Poultry
- ThePoultrySite.com's Poultry Disease Guide quick search guide provides detailed information on a range of avian diseases.
