Poultry Cannibalism Can Reduce the Farm Production and Profitability: A Challenge to Overcome

Poultry Cannibalism Can Reduce the Farm Production and Profitability: A Challenge to Overcome

Aayush Yadav*, Rashmi Lata Rakesh, Mithilesh Uppal, Gajendra Kumar

Livestock Development Department, Chhattisgarh, India

*Corresponding author’s email id: aayush.aayush091@gmail.com

Introduction

            Cannibalism is the act of consuming tissues of another individual of the same species as food. Additionally, cannibalism may also be defined as the pecking, tearing, and consuming of skin, tissue, or organs of flock mates. It is a common practice in the animal kingdom including poultry. Cannibalism can occur in all types of housing systems, all ages of birds, and any species of poultry. It has been ascertained that the light breeds such as the leghorns are more vulnerable than the heavier breeds. This condition frequently happens when the birds are stressed by faulty management practices or receive a nutritionally poor diet. Soon they are stressed, they begin to peck the feathers, toes, vent, comb, or head of another bird. Pecking is a natural behavior of poultry that allows them to check out their surroundings including their flock mates, and is fun to watch, but aggressive pecking leads to an open wound. Once an open wound is created and internal organs or blood is visible on the bird, the brutal habit of pecking results in cannibalism that can spread quickly through the entire flock. This can result in a decrease in egg production and significant mortality within the flock cum economic loss to the farmers. Poultry cannibalism is therefore an alarming issue that needs serious attention to prevent it from occurring. This article provides the essential know-how to mitigate the chances of cannibalism in poultry.

How do types of pecking help in identifying the source of cannibalism?

When pecking is continued aggressively, it leads to cannibalism. The types of pecking can hence bring forth the cause of cannibalism in poultry. The types of pecking are:

1. Saddle/ feather pecking: The behavior is exhibited due to a lack of protein in the diet (may also be due to incorrectly roasted soybeans), nutritional deficiencies like methionine, and early signs of molting. Most often, roosters tend to peck the saddle feathers and then the hens aggravate the condition by themselves.
2. Tail pecking: This occurs frequently due to overcrowding in pens causing birds to not get enough exercise along with competition for space and feed resources.
3. Vent pecking: This happens due to the presence of external parasites like lice and mites, prolapse of the vent region, wear and tear in the vent due to the passage of an abnormally large egg, or during self-grooming. This is the most severe form of cannibalism and is generally seen in high-production or fat layers. Also, this could lead to severe anemia in birds.
4. Egg pecking: This generally shows nutritional imbalance, particularly calcium deficiency.
5. Back of the head pecking: Exposure to bright light, high temperature, overcrowding, methionine deficiency in diet (if eating feathers of the back of the head), and injuries to comb tend to exhibit such behavior.
6. Toe pecking: This is most common in chicks and occurs either when the feeder space is inappropriate or the chicks fail to find the feed.

What are the sources of cannibalism?

Cannibalism indicates a welfare problem in poultry husbandry and generally appears in the early phase of a poultry’s life during the ontogeny of pecking behavior. Early studies suggest that ground pecking behavior, a part of the feeding behavior, and dust bathing behavior develop later into feather pecking behavior (Blokhuis, 1986; Vestergaard, 1994). Further, evidence reveals that vent pecking often starts after the start of laying and is an indication that cannibalism is influenced by changes in the hormonal system (Hughes, 1973). This way the causes of cannibalism are unclear, but their onset has been attributed to numerous causes that are outlined below.

1. Overcrowding: The overcrowding of birds in a limited space brings stress and competitive behavior, leading to cannibalism.
2. Food and water shortage: Ensure that the flock is not provided with limited food and water supply, if provided, they will compete over the limited food supplies to satisfy their hunger by removing other birds through means of pecking. Hungry birds will increase the chances of pecking. Further, the pecking may elevate if adequate numbers of feeders and drinkers are unavailable, feeders and drinkers are not adjusted to the height of the birds, and when the right feeding equipment as per bird age is not used leading to the unavailability of feed to birds. All these lead the birds to hunger. Feeding birds too late is often a cause of cannibalism.

The entire flock has a normal pecking order that determines which birds get to eat first and which at last. When you have limited food or insufficient feeder space, birds at the lower end of the pecking order may never be allowed to eat.

3. Imbalanced diet: An imbalanced diet like a diet rich in energy and low in fiber, a diet low in protein and other nutrients like methionine and salt causes the birds to exhibit aggressive feather-pecking behavior. If the birds are eating feathers they’re pecking, it is due to protein or methionine deficiency. If the birds are feeding on blood there is sulphur (methionine) and salt deficiency in the diet, as blood contains sulphur and salt. Moreover, birds routinely preen themselves, using the oil from the preen gland near the tail. The oil from the preen gland has a salty taste. If the birds are fed a diet without salt, the birds will overuse the preen gland, resulting in cut feathers. They will then begin to peck at the preen glands of other birds. An unexpected change in the palatability or form of a flock’s ration may also be a contributing factor in the start of cannibalism as the birds might haphazardly seek alternative sources of food leading to pecking. It is noteworthy that the pelleted feed appears to increase the risk of feather pecking than mash feed.
4. Excessive heat: When the temperature of the pen is excessively hot or cold, the birds will move away from the light source or gather near the light source, respectively. In both cases, the birds might end up overcrowding leading to pecking and eventually cannibalism.
5. Bright lights: Excessive bright lights or longer periods of light can irritate the flock leading to pecking and cannibalistic behaviour. The birds receiving excessive light periods will achieve sexual maturity earlier and start laying before the laying age and become prone to early wear and tear of tissues of the oviduct, making it a site for pecking.
6. Parasites and illness: Itching due to internal and external parasites can cause the birds to peck at themselves. Healthy birds will also peck at sick or injured birds, both out of curiosity and self-preservation. Too much pecking can lead to cannibalistic behavior.
7. Sudden environmental changes: Poultry birds do not acknowledge sudden changes in their environment. If the birds are located in a new environment, they will experience stress which will disrupt their pecking order. It can take up to a week for the birds to re-establish a new pecking order, leading to cannibalism. Further, when the birds are located in a new environment, it is advised to bring some feeders and drinkers along so that in an unfamiliar environment there remains something familiar. If the birds are not familiar with their environment, it can lead to pecking and cannibalism.
8. Mixing of different age groups, sizes, types, and colours of fowl: Rearing of different age groups, sizes, types, and colours of fowl together promotes pecking by disturbing the flock’s normal pecking order.
9. Crippled, injured, or dead birds in the flock: The presence of crippled, injured, or dead birds in the flock will provoke pecking behavior in birds because of social hierarchy and curiosity. Once pecking initiates it can rapidly develop into a ferocious habit. In addition, fat layers and the young flocks that start laying before 20 weeks of age show prolapse of the uterus. If the uterus remains out for a longer period, it is pecked by other birds out of curiosity, and once it bleeds, it quickly progresses to cannibalism.
10. Slow-feathering birds are more prone to cannibalism: Cannibalism mostly occurs during the growth of feathers in young fowl. Birds with slow-feathering have immature soft feathers exposed for a longer duration leaving them open to harm from pecking.
11. Hierarchical order: An upset in the hierarchy or pecking order in a flock is another factor in the rise of cannibalism in poultry.

How to prevent cannibalism in poultry?

The outbreaks of cannibalism can occur even if the flock is managed meticulously. However, outbreaks are less likely if preventive measures are taken.

1. Give adequate space to flock: The recommended space (Tables 1 and 2) should be provided to the birds followed by laying nests for laying hens. Additionally, ensure sufficient feeder and drinker space for the birds. Provide 3-4″ of linear feeder and drinker space per bird by 8 weeks or ¾-1″ of round feeder and drinker space per bird by 8 weeks.

2. Provide ample feed and water: Provide a well-balanced diet to the birds depending upon their stage of development including a healthy amount of greens, weeds, Moringa oleifera leaves, or another herb. This increases fiber in the bird’s diet. A high-fiber diet will make the birds feel full and satisfied. Provide mash feed instead of pellet feed. Provide access to ad libitum fresh water. Also add foraging items like a broken pumpkin, or cucumber in the room to avoid pecking behavior. In addition, hanging cans at the bird’s eye level or keeping toys or coloured shiny items will allow birds to play and draw their attention away from the other birds. Put fat birds on a low-energy diet to prevent chances of prolapse of the uterus while laying eggs.
3. Provide salt in the diet to overcome deficiencies: Ensure that the birds’ feed is rich in nutrients and that they are getting enough salt from it.
4. Maintain the comfort zone of your bird: The optimal ambient temperature for birds is 18-21ºC. Initially, keep the temperature for chicks at 35ºC. A week later, reduce the temperature by 2.7ºC every seven days until the temperature reaches 21°C. Maintain the temperature as long as the birds are kept. Failure to do so results in cannibalism.
5. Maintain adequate light intensity: Provide 24 hours of light to chicks, 11 hours of light to growers, 15.5 hours of light to meat birds, and 16-17 hours of light to layer birds. Use 40-watt white light bulbs for chicks while 15-25-watt bulbs above feeding and watering areas for birds of 12 weeks and old. If larger bulbs are required for heat, use red or infrared bulbs. The standard light intensity used in poultry housing is 10 lux (1 foot candle).
6. Deworming of birds: It is recommended to incorporate a worm check into routine health practices with medicines like Albomar® powder. In young chickens, deworming should take place every 4 weeks, and after 12 weeks of age every 5 to 6 weeks. Additionally, disinfect the pen including the corners and crevices before every new batch arrives to ensure proper check of mites and lice. Ensure daily disinfection of feeders and drinkers and raking of bedding materials for the same.
7. Carefully introduce new birds to the flock: The introduction of new birds into a pen can be done by splitting that pen into halves with a wire wall for at least a week to help birds to get to know each other. Additionally, adding the birds to the perch at night can help. Always supervise new entries for the signs of pecking and cannibalism as it may take a week or more for the flock to re-establish the new pecking order.
8. Isolate sick and injured birds from the pen: If any bird is sick, mutilated, or injured, isolate them from the healthy birds to prevent the latter from messing with it. Do observe for the signs of blood streaks on the eggshell surface of the flock to identify the birds prone to prolapse. Keep an eye on these birds.
9. Do not keep fowls of different ages, sizes, types, and colours together: Do not brood fowl of different ages, sizes, or species together in the same pen. Do not brood feathered leg fowl or bearded fowl with fowl lacking these traits as curiosity can also start pecking. Further, fowl with different colours of feathers also exhibit feather pecking. Also, make certain not to raise slow-feathering birds with other fowl.

How to control a cannibalism outbreak?

            There’s an urgent need to check the behavior of the birds to treat the cannibalistic behavior before it spreads to the entire flock. The following methods can help achieve the target.

1. Identifying the root cause of the problem: One must identify the source of the problem. Once identified, it becomes easier to treat the cannibalistic behavior.
2. Give outside run space: Allow the birds to run outside in an enclosure. This way they will use their energy and will become lethargic for pecking. This will not only keep them busy but allow them to peck on greens, grounds, and insects instead of other birds.
3. Isolate birds: The next step involves immediate isolation of injured or mutilated birds and the ones engaged in pecking activities. If not done, the injured birds will only encourage others to continue pecking them, which will aggravate the situation. Provide proper treatment to the injured birds before bringing them back to the flock and find a solution to stop abnormal pecking behavior. Tar can be applied to wounds to reduce their visibility to cannibals.
4. Darken facilities using red bulbs: If the cause is too much bright light, then replace the white bulbs with red bulbs and darken the facilities. Red bulbs provide a soothing effect to the birds along with a state of dilemma in identifying blood due to the red surroundings which encourages them to reduce their pecking behaviour. Moreover, remove clear plastics and other shiny objects to prevent refraction and overstimulation of light.
5. Provide adequate space, feed, and water: Make sure the birds are provided space as per the recommended guidelines shown above. If sufficient space is not available, either expand the pen or relocate the birds to a bigger pen. Add extra feeders and drinkers so that no one fights for the resources. Ensure that the nest box is available to laying hens and that there are sufficient perches throughout the pen. Note that 1 nest box is for 5 laying hens.
6. Give salt solution: A deficiency of sulphur and salt in the diet of poultry makes birds addicted to the blood. This can be prevented by giving birds 1 tablespoon of salt mixed with 1 liter of water as the only drink for half a day. It can then be replaced with regular drinking water. This generally checks the cannibalism within a day or two, but if not, it should be repeated after a period of 3 days.
7. Beak trimming: Beak trimming can be used to control the pecking behavior in the flock by removing 1/3^rd – 1/2^nd of the tip of the upper beak and providing a blunt or round end to the lower beak at 7-10 days of age and repeated between 4-6 weeks and 14-16 weeks of age.
8. Use of anti-cannibalism spray or ointment: The application of anti-cannibalism spray or ointment on the injured part of the bird stops pecking by the other birds. The strong odour and foul taste of spray or ointment act as a deterrent and keeps peckers away which helps discourage pecking among the flock.
9. Use of mechanical devices: The use of mechanical devices like blinders or plastic peepers on aggressive birds is suggested.
10. Play music: Playing soft music in the pen can also divert the cannibals.

What does cannibalism do to a poultry farm?

Mortality due to cannibalism can reduce the flock size by 30-36.67% (Koene, 2001; Kumari, 2020) which is liable for bringing heavy economic losses to a poultry farm. The estimated profit of a poultry farm thus gets hampered after every death in the flock.

Conclusion

Cannibalism is a problem that is linked to large poultry flocks where the birds are kept in close confinement. Faults in management conditions and genetic predisposition can make a flock more prone to cannibalism. It is a ruthless behavior that needs urgent attention and care as it can lead to the death of the birds cum economic loss to the farmer. As cannibalism starts with pecking, the farmer should be vigilant and have the understanding to differentiate between curious and aggressive hen pecking in the flock. With this, one can overcome the challenge of cannibalism with the right preventive and control measures in a poultry farm.

References

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