What is Cannibalism?

Cannibalism is a vice (bad habit) that is usually observed in poultry flocks, where the birds kept in close confinement pack at other birds. Cannibalism in fowl is a costly and vicious habit that poultry producers cannot afford to ignore. Cannibalism can cost a poultry producer a significant amount of money as it results in significant mortality and causes decreased performance as the pecked birds become stressed. Some aspect of management or environment, which the birds are subjected to usually, precipitates cannibalism. Under the intensive management conditions used by today's industry this condition can occur at any age among all breeds, strains and sexes of fowl. It has been determined, however that the light breeds, such as the leghorns that are used in table egg production, are more susceptible than the heavier breeds. These lighter breeds are characterized by their flighty nature and are hypersensitive to environmental factors.

The important characteristics / behavioral problem of cannibalism in the poultry industry can include the following activities:

• Feather pulling in older birds from the head, tail or body
• Vent picking in older birds
• A dominant bird pecking at a more submissive member of the flock
• Mutual pecking where birds in close proximity peck at each other
• On rare occasions young chicks may peck their own toes
  
  Feather pulling and vent pecking may be difficult and time consuming behaviors to observe in a flock, but the cannibalism can be clearly recognized when culled birds or mortalities in the flock have had much of the intestine removed through the vent.
  Once becoming stressed, one bird begins picking the feathers, comb, toes or vent of another bird. Once an open wound or blood is visible on the bird, the vicious habit of cannibalism can spread rapidly through the entire flock. If you notice the problem soon after it begins, cannibalism can be held in check. However, if the problem is allowed to get out of hand it can be very costly. Cannibalism will lower the bird's value due to torn and damaged flesh; poor feathering and can result in high death losses. Once this habit gets out of hand it is difficult to eliminate.
  
  Causes of Cannibalism

  The causes of this vice are not well understood, but the onset of cannibalism has been attributed to a number of things ranging from inborn behavior to managemental stress to nutritional deficiencies / excesses.

  Natural Causes

  
  Inherent Behavior: The problem may simply arise because of the normal pecking behavior of this type of animal when searching for food or exploring an environment. The birds are kept in barren, crowded conditions and may have little else to peck besides their pen mates. Once one hen has picked up this technique other hens, observing the behavior, will learn from the initial pecker and a serious episode will develop.
  
  Slow feathering birds are most prone to cannibalism: Take extra precautions with slow feathering birds. Most cannibalism occurs during feather growth in young fowl. Birds with slow feathering have immature tender feathers exposed for longer periods of time leaving them open to damage from pecking. Don't raise slow feathering birds with other fowl.

  Managemental Causes

  Overcrowding: Crowding the house with more birds than its capacity can lead to cannibalism
  
  Excessive heat: When the birds become uncomfortably hot they can become extremely cannibalistic.
  
  Excessive light: Extremely bright light or excessively long periods of light will cause birds to become hostile towards one another. Constant light can be stressful to the birds.
  
  Absence of feed or water or a shortage of feeder and waterer space: If the birds have to fight for food and water, or if the birds are always hungry they will increase pecking.
  
  Mixing of different types and colors of fowl: Mixing different ages of fowl or fowl with different traits promotes pecking by disrupting the flock's normal pecking order. Curiosity can also start pecking.
  
  Abrupt changes in environment or management practices: If you plan to move young birds to a new location, it is best to move some of their feeders and waterers with them in order to help them adapt. When you change over to larger feeders and waterers it is helpful to leave the smaller equipment in the pen for a few days to help during the change.
  
  Brightly lit nests or shortage of nesting boxes: Vent pecking by layers is also a common problem.
  
  During egg laying the cloaca may become damaged and distended especially with the passage of large eggs and this protrusion of the vent may be an attractant to other birds due to its stark color difference against the white body.
  
  Allowing cripples, injured or dead birds to remain in a flock: Fowl will pick on cripples or dead birds in their pens because of the social order and curiosity. Once pecking starts it can quickly develop into a vicious habit.

  Nutritional Causes

  High Energy and Low Fiber: Extremely high energy and low fiber diets cause the birds to be extra active and aggressive which in turn will make birds to peck others.
  
  Protein Deficiency: Feed lacking protein and other nutrients, particularly Methionine, will also cause birds to pick feathers.

  Imbalance in the sodium level may lead to cannibalism - High salt content in feed/water & lack of adequate drinking water increases pecking disorder.
  
  An abrupt change in the palatability or form of a flock's ration may also be a contributing factor in the onset of cannibalism as the birds might impulsively seek alternative sources of food.

  How can Cannibalism be Controlled / Prevented?

  Treatment for a cannibalism outbreak

  Since cannibalism can be caused by several conditions, you may not be able to determine the exact cause of the problem. However, stress no matter how slight, is usually the main factor.
  1. Try to correct any practices which may have lead to cannibalism.
  2. Darkening the facilities by using red bulbs.
  3. Remove any badly injured birds.
  4. Applying an "anti-peck" ointment or pine tar on any damaged birds usually stops pecking.
  5. Lower the pen temperature a bit if possible.
  6. Other control methods include increasing feed availability and reducing group size. In case of turkey flocks, some use a tar-like spray which deters cannibalism due to offensive odor and taste.

  Tips for Prevention of Cannibalism

  It should be remembered when approaching a problem of cannibalism in the poultry industry that the best method of control is to prevent it from starting at all, since once it has begun it will be very difficult to stop.
  
  The onset of this vice can be prevented by paying particular attention to:

• The dietary factors – Such as protein, sodium and palatability
• The environmental factors – Ventilation, Temperature, humidity, population density and lighting
• The feeding and water space that is available for each bird.

Following certain managemental practices like beak trimming at right age

Since there are numerous reasons for outbreaks of cannibalism, it is important that cannibalism control be a part of your management program.

• Light Intensity: With highly intensive operations the light intensity should be reduced, perhaps by changing to a light, which is of a red shade. Never use white light bulbs larger than 40 watts to brood fowl. If larger bulbs are required for heat, use red or infrared bulbs. In birds 12 weeks of age or older, use 15 or 25 watt bulbs above feeding and watering areas. Don't light fowl more than 16 hours per day. Constant light can be stressful to the birds.
• Beak trimming: Beak trimming, which involves partial amputation of the beak, is a widely practiced and effective control measure. However, it causes pain both during and after the operation. Beak trimming is carried out on most laying hens when they are chicks (4-6wks). The Code of Practice allows up to two-third of the upper beak and one third of the lower beak to be cut off with a hot blade. However, since the beaks of young chicks are so small, it is hard to judge accurately and sometimes more is cut off. Beak trimming helps to minimize the injuries caused when hens peck each other. However beak trimming is likely to be stressful in a number of ways. The hen has to be approached, caught and restrained by the operator - a procedure which has been shown to evoke fear in hens. The procedure of cutting and cauterizing the beak of the hen with a heated blade is likely to result in acute short-term pain because of the presence of cutaneous afferent nerves in the beak which respond to thermal stimuli.
• Enough Space: Avoid overcrowding and provide enough space as per the recommendation of the chick suppliers
• Temperature: Be sure to adjust the brooding temperature as the young fowl get older. Brood young fowl at 950F for the first week and then decrease the temperature 50F per week, until you reach 700F or the outside temperature. The temperature should be measured at the height of the birds back directly under the heat source. Do not heat the entire brooding facility to the recommended temperature.
• Be sure that birds have free access to water and feed at all times.
• Balanced Feed: Make sure you feed a diet balanced appropriately for the age and types of fowl you are raising Protein, Sodium/Salt level, energy, fiber etc.
• Never brood different species of birds together. Don't brood feathered leg fowl, crested fowl or bearded fowl with fowl without these traits as curiosity can also start pecking.
• If you plan to move young birds to a new location, it is best to move some of their feeders and waterers with them in order to help them adapt. When you change over to larger feeders and waterers it is helpful to leave the smaller equipment in the pen for a few days to help during the change.
• Dispose off or separte the cripples, injured or dead birds to avoid picking by other birds due to social order and curiosity.
• Take extra precautions with slow feathering birds. Most cannibalism occurs during feather growth in young fowl. Birds with slow feathering have immature tender feathers exposed for longer periods of time leaving them open to damage from pecking. Don't raise slow feathering birds with other fowl.
• A useful technique, which was recently proposed and tested and shows good promise, is to hang white polypropylene string in cages or pens. Its purpose is to divert pecking from the plumage of other hens onto the string. It has only been tried on a small scale and is not yet in widespread use, but may help to minimize the problem of feather pecking and cannibalism.

   

  PROVIMI'S DESK

  Evaluation of Morning / Afternoon Feeding Strategies in Laying Hens (28 to 39 weeks of age)
  
  In laying hens the physiological need for nutrients is not the same at different times of the day, but follows a diurnal pattern. Therefore, it is hypothesized that daily calcium, energy and protein requirements can be reduced through providing laying hens with adequate levels of those nutrients only during those hours of the day when physiological requirements exist. Practically this could be implemented into a morning / afternoon (AM/PM) feeding strategy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate a AM/PM feeding strategy in laying hens (28 to 39 weeks of age).

  
  
  In a 2x2 factorial arrangement, laying hens (ISABROWN) were subjected to two nutrient densities and two feeding strategies. All hens had unlimited access to feed and fresh drinking water through two nipples drinkers. Treatment group III and IV received the morning diets from 08.00 till 16.00 and afternoon diets from 16.00 till 00.00 hours.

  Performance obtained with the AM / PM feeding strategy was lower compared to the conventional feeding strategy, probably due to a reduced feed intake. However, with a similar FCR and reduced weight gain of the hens, feed utilization did not improve. Therefore, the present study doest not support the hypothesis of reduced nutritional requirements of laying hens fed AM/PM diets designed to closely match the physiological requirements during specific parts of the diurnal cycle.

  Courtesy: Joris van Wichem (Provimi B.V.)