The Major Causes of Cannibalism among Poultry Birds

Cannibalism causes a lot of loss to so many poultry farmers, not just the loss of cash return on investment but the pain associated with you standing and watching your birds peck each other to the point of killing themselves…… Awwwn!!

If you have been faced with this challenge as a poultry farmer, am sure you will understand the pain as I do because i have faced it on my farm on different occasions to the extent that i had to monitor the causes and wish to share my findings with my friends.

On our subsequent articles weare going to be discussing about poultry seasoning, ideal poultry farming methods, ideal poultry netting method, as well as what is in poultry seasoning, therefore i encourage you to kindly visit us more often for more amazing informations.

Meanwhile going back to our today’s topic, I came to the conclusion through my findings that cannibalism among poultry birds is usually caused by one or more of these conditions:

1. Overcrowding in the Poultry House

Large breeds of chickens should be allowed:
1/4 sq. ft./bird for first 2 weeks;
3/4 sq. ft./bird for 3-8 weeks;
1.5 sq. ft./bird from 8 to 16 weeks of age;
2 sq. ft./bird from 16 weeks on.

Please note that Bantam chickens require half the space as large chickens.

With gamebirds, double the above recommendations. With pheasants, allow 25 to 30 sq. ft./bird after 12 weeks of age or use pick prevention devices like plastic peepers or blinders.

2. Excessive heat

When the birds become uncomfortably hot they can become extremely cannibalistic. Be sure to adjust the brooding temperature as the young fowl get older. Brood young fowl at 95°F. for the first week and then decrease the temperature 5°F per week, until you reach 70°F. 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. Not decreasing the brooding temperature is a common mistake that leads to problems like cannibalism.

3. Excessive light

Extremely bright light or excessively long periods of light will cause birds to become hostile toward one another. Never use white light bulbs larger than 40 watts to brood fowl. If larger bulbs are required for heat, use red or infra-red bulbs.

When raising birds 12 weeks of age or older, use 15 or 25 watt bulbs above feeding and watering areas. Never light fowl more than 16 hours per day. Constant light can be stressful to the birds.

Read Also: Recommended Routine Activities for a Better Poultry Production

4. Absence of feed or water or a shortage of feeder and waterer space for the poultry birds

If the birds have to fight for food and water, or if the birds are always hungry they will increase pecking. Be sure that birds have free access to water and feed at all times.

The pecking order determines which birds get to eat and when. When you have inadequate feeder space birds at the lower end of the pecking order may never be allowed to eat.

5. Unbalanced diets

Extremely high energy and low fiber diets cause the birds to be extra active and aggressive. Feed lacking protein and other nutrients, particularly Methionine, will also cause birds to pick feathers. Make sure you feed a diet balanced appropriately for the age and types of fowl you are raising.

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6. Mixing of different types, sizes, and colors of fowl

Mixing different ages and sizes of fowl or fowl with different traits promote pecking by disrupting the flock’s normal pecking order. Never brood different species of fowl together in the same pen. Don’t brood feathered leg fowl, crested fowl or bearded fowl with fowl without these traits.

Curiosity can also start pecking. Toe pecking in the first few weeks is often started due to curiosity of the different colors or traits.

7. 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 drinkers with them in order to help them adapt. When you change over to larger feeders and drinkers it is helpful to leave the smaller equipment in the pen for a few days to help during the change.

8. Brightly lit nests or shortage of nesting boxes

Don’t place bright lights near the nesting areas. Also, allow 1 nest for every 5 hens. Vent pecking by layers is also a common problem.

9. Allowing cripples, injured or dead birds to remain in a flock

Fowl will pick on crippled or dead birds in their pens because of the social order and curiosity. Once pecking starts it can quickly develop into a vicious habit.

10. Slow feathering poultry birds are most prone to cannibalism

Take extra precautions with slow feathering birds. Most cannibalism occurs during father 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.

Read Also: 12 Great Importance of Agriculture Worldwide

11. Introducing new poultry birds to the flock

Anytime you add or remove birds from a flock you disrupt the pecking order of the flock. It is best to introduce any new birds into your pen by splitting the pen with a wire wall for at least a week to help the birds to get to know each other.

Also, adding the birds to the perch at night can help. Always supervise new introductions to the flock and intervene if the pecking gets out of control and birds are getting hurt. It may take a week or more for flock to re-establish the new pecking order.

12. Prolapse Pecking

Prolapse can occur in very young or fat laying flocks. Prolapse is when the uterus stretches and tears and takes longer to properly return into the body cavity after the egg is laid. This is most common in young flocks that start laying too soon (prior to 20 weeks of age or in fat layers.

When the uterus is exposed for a period of time other birds will see it and pick at it out of curiosity. Once they pick at the uterus it bleeds and the picking quick progresses to cannibalism. If you start seeing blood streaks on the shell surface your flock may be prone to prolapse.

Properly managing how you bring your birds into production and proper feeding practices can prevent this problem. Fat birds will need to be put on a low energy diet.

Wishing you all a profitable poultry farming business.