Studies of feather pecking in poultry

Feather pecking and cannibalism are obviously detrimental to birds' welfare. Moreover, the introduction of alternatives to battery cage housing of laying hens is seriously hampered by these behaviours. Our experimental work reviewed here supports the hypothesis that feather pecking evolves as redirected ground pecking. Thus the main practical strategy to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism is to provide an adequate substrate throughout life, from the start of the rearing period onwards. However, no strategy guarantees that feather pecking will not develop in practical poultry husbandry and beak trimming may be required in specific cases to prevent the risk of greater welfare problems caused by cannibalism. Studies in birds showing different propensities for feather pecking may lead to a better understanding of the processes underlying feather pecking as well as providing simple procedures to select strains of birds in which the incidence of feather pecking and cannibalism is low.