Important Vices Of Poultry
Vice is a faulty bad habit acquired by the animal, which affects the health and performance and also well being of other animals of the group by virtue of copying of these habits. These vices may incur a huge loss to the poultry farmer.
• Birds may suffer from certain vices (bad habits), which become quite extensive right from the beginning and their eradication poses a big problem.
• These vices may incur a huge loss to the poultry farmer. Some of the important vices are
o Cannibalism
o Egg eating
o Egg hiding
o Pica.
- Cannibalism—-
• Cannibalism is a condition in which birds of a flock attack their pen mate and eat its flesh, which may impose deep wounds and heavy mortality.
• Vent pecking is common in laying birds. Once the birds adopt this vice it spreads rapidly through the flock.
• Poultry farmer must remain vigilant to prevent cannibalism as it has got no direct treatment.
• Presence of wounded or dead birds which are showing wound but otherwise appear healthy are indicative of cannibalism.
Reasons
Following are some of the causes responsible for cannibalism
• Overcrowding in the poultry house which gives less opportunity for exercise and the less active birds pick up vices.
• Cannibalism tends to be more common in some breed of birds and may have genetic predisposition.
• Haemorrhages in the external genitalia due to laying of large eggs by new hens attracts other birds and once the birds develop taste for blood and meat they develop the habit of cannibalism.
• Protein deficiency in the diet or provision of less diet or excess of corn in the diet are said to be important factors.
• Deficiency of arginine and methionine are supposed to be more responsible for development of cannibalistic activity.
• Some say that the deficiency of salt and minerals may be responsible for this condition.
• Loss of feathers from the body or haemorrhage from the skin due to parasitic infestation may predispose to cannibalism.
• Wounds inflicted by fighting between the birds may also serve as a stimulus for cannibalistic activity.
Prevention
The common saying that “Prevention is better than cure” holds good for cannibalism.
• The most recent and cheapest way to avoid cannibalism is debeaking which can be done right from the day old chicks to any age.
• Debeaking can be done either manually or mechanically. Mechanical way of debeaking has an advantage that it does not require second cutting of beak which is sometimes required in case of manual debeaking. One-third of the upper beak and tip of the lower beak is to be cut.
• To stop bleeding, hot iron rod is touched at the site of cut. Debeaking must be performed by a competent and trained person, otherwise there may be excessive bleeding and the bird may die due to starvation. These days debeaking has become mandatory in almost all poultry farms.
• Birds involved in cannibalism must be isolated.
• Wounded birds should also be segregated and given proper treatment.
• Margosa oil is found effective for wound healing in poultry.
• Immediate debeaking of the birds.
• Overcrowding of the birds must be immediately corrected.
• Feed must be available in sufficient quantity at all the times.
• Laying nests must be built at peaceful, isolated places, because the congested external genitalia of layers, following laying, attracts other birds for cannibalism.
• Provision of red bulbs near laying nests may help during the period of the problem.
• Addition of raw meat in the feed has been found to be helpful. If raw meat is not available increase in the amount of fish meal will serve the purpose.
• Quantity of vitamin, mineral mixture and salt may be marginally increased in poultry ration.
• Increased amount of methionine in the diet is said to prevent this habit in layers.
- Egg eating———-
•
• Sometimes birds develop the tendency to eat their own eggs.
• It becomes quite difficult to prevent this vice.
• It may start due to the presence of cracked eggs or accidental breaking of eggs and once the birds develop taste for it they start breaking their own eggs.
• Factors responsible for breaking of egg or cracking of egg are thin or soft egg shell or lack of sufficient bedding material in the laying area.
• Presence of eggs for longer period in the pens may also encourage the birds to start egg eating.
Prevention
• Isolate the birds which have developed this habit.
• In consultation with the expert, the quantity of lime stone and protein should be increased in the diet.
• Egg eaters should be kept in a cage in which egg rolls away, beyond the reach of the bird after laying of the eggs due to slope.
• Debeaking also reduces this tendency.
• Darkness in the laying area may prevent his habit.
• Egg collection interval should be reduced. - Egg hiding-————-
• Egg hiding is a maternal instinct of jungle fowl and is not encountered in domestic fowl. But sometimes this habit may develop in the domestic fowl which are allowed freedom of movement.
• They hide the eggs in the field, bushes etc.
Prevention
• Restrict freedom of movement of the birds.
• Laying area should be built inside poultry house and made comfortable by providing sawdust, straw etc. - Pica—————
• Birds start eating materials which are not fit for consumption, such as feathers, litter material, threads, etc.
• It is less commonly found in modern poultry farm.
• Phosphorus deficiency, parasitic infestation, new litter material etc. may predispose the birds to pica.
• Good managemental care and balanced diet are recommended for the prevention of pica.
Dr TN Singh, Poultry consultant, Jamshedpur
