Diary of a poultry farmer: Early intervention can effectively reduce pecking

In the past four months, I have been dealing with a problem that many farmers experience almost on a daily basis.

I am not even sure if the measures I have put in place will work although I have started to see some positive results. In fact, there is a story that fits the description perfectly.

Now, I hope you are familiar with the politics of Animal Farm as illustrated in George Orwell’s classic: Animals rise up against humans, take over the farm, and rename it—‘Animal Farm’.

Enter a Mr Pilkington and Mr Frederick, the two owners of the farms adjoining the original Animal Farm.

Out of spite, these two gentlemen started spreading rumours about things gone wrong in the Animal Farm—torture, polygamy and cannibalism. Chaos then ensued on the farm.

By now, you probably have a clue, but it is not exactly what you are thinking. In the past, I have recounted how I dealt with a form of cannibalism where hens feed on their own eggs (SoG February 27, 2016).

At first, I de-beaked the birds but the problem persisted. I tried other ideas like drilling a hole into an egg, adding pepper and feeding the birds.

I had assumed that the bad taste would dissuade the hens. It just didn’t work.

It was only after I started feeding the birds on bone meal and limestone (key sources of calcium) first thing every morning that the problem stopped.

I spoke to experts who informed me that the form of cannibalism I was dealing with was as a result of nutritional deficiencies resulting from lack of Vitamin D and calcium.

On this day, as I visited the farm, the manager informed me as a by-the-way that he had noticed excessive pecking of feathers in the flock.

“How many birds are affected,” I enquired. “About 40 per cent of the flock,” he responded.

“Are there any injuries,” I asked. I was relieved to know that none was injured. At the time I assumed that the feather pecking resulted from cocks attempting to climb the hens as part of mating.

EASIER TO PREVENT THAN TO TREAT

However, two weeks later, Cleophas called to inform me that the problem was getting worse and eight hens had severe injuries on the head and rear and four later died.

I decided to do some research on the subject. For a fact, I was taken aback to learn that ‘pecking of feathers’ among chicken flocks is a natural behaviour designed to maintain hierarchy and establish social order.

I was surprised to learn that this form of social dominance or hierarchies is not limited to chicken. In fact, other animals like insects, mammals and wild birds exhibit this phenomenon.

It matters that dominance hierarchies often determine first or best access to food, social interactions and mating within animal groups.

Now, there was another little worrying fact: Chicken learn from one another and if this behaviour is not checked early, it spreads among the flock like a bush fire. I decided to consult professionals in this area.

The experts I consulted concurred on one point: Cannibalism is easier to prevent than to treat. Based on their advice, I decided to focus on three areas — diet, parasites, living conditions and housing. I then developed a simple checklist to help me deal with this problem.

For now, I have ruled out unbalanced diet because my feeds contain adequate amounts of carbs, proteins and minerals.

I have even subjected these to laboratory testing. I was told that unbalanced diets with high energy, low fibre and deficient in methionine, sodium (salt) and phosphorus increase craving for blood and feathers.

In my case, I include plant proteins such as soya and sunflower cake to ensure sufficient supply of methionine to the birds. I also include wheat bran which is very rich in phosphorus.

DE-BEAKING

I am now focusing on housing and living conditions like stocking density, perches and pecking incentives. According to a study by Dutch researchers (Monique Bestman and Jan-Paul Wagenaar, 2006), flocks that feather pecked were at a density of 35 chicks per square metre (3.2 chicks per square foot), while flocks that did not feather peck were at only 22 chicks per square metre (two chicks per square foot) during the first four weeks of life.

To reduce pecking, pullets need to be raised on litter (not in cages), have perches and a low stocking density.

The researchers identified other risk factors that led to feather pecking: The use of slat flooring during the first weeks of life (no litter), absence of perches and no grain scattered for a pecking incentive.

Now having roughage or providing it in baskets also helps reduce feather pecking and birds learn to peck at different levels.

For now, this is as good as collateral for a bank loan: To work, prevention of feather pecking should begin early. For sure, researchers have recognised that pullets that feather peck during rearing will continue to feather peck as layers.

However, pullets that do not feather peck during rearing will not do it later.

In addition to de-beaking all the mature birds, which seems to have helped, I have also started de-beaking the chicks as early as four weeks and I will definitely share the results of this intervention in months to come.