Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T06:49:44.449Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Severe feather-pecking in non-cage laying hens and some associated and predisposing factors: a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2015

K.M. HARTCHER ,
S.J. WILKINSON ,
P.H. HEMSWORTH  and
G.M. CRONIN
K.M. HARTCHER*
Affiliation:
Poultry Research Foundation, 425 Werombi Road, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden NSW 2570, Australia Poultry CRC, PO Box U242, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia
S.J. WILKINSON
Affiliation:
Poultry Research Foundation, 425 Werombi Road, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden NSW 2570, Australia
P.H. HEMSWORTH
Affiliation:
Animal Welfare Science Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
G.M. CRONIN
Affiliation:
Poultry Research Foundation, 425 Werombi Road, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camden NSW 2570, Australia
*
Corresponding author: kate.hartcher@sydney.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

Severe feather-pecking (SFP), whereby birds vigorously peck at and pull out the feathers of conspecifics, is an extremely injurious, highly prevalent behaviour. It has acute negative impacts on the egg industry worldwide, in terms of both animal welfare and production efficiency. A large volume of research has been conducted to investigate the underlying causes. However, although many contributing factors have been identified, it remains largely unpredictable, and very difficult to control. Environmental influences during the rearing period, feeding behaviour, feather-eating and individual bird differences play important roles in the expression of SFP. This paper provides a review of some of the literature on the aforementioned causes of SFP in laying hens.

Keywords

laying henfeather-peckingenvironmental enrichmentforagingrearingfeather-eating
Type
Reviews
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 72 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 103 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

AERNI, V., EL-LETHEY, H. and WECHSLER, B. (2000) Effect of foraging material and food form on feather pecking in laying hens. British Poultry Science 41: 16-21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BESSEI, W. and KJAER, J.B. (2015) Feather pecking in layers - state of research and implications. 26th Annual Australian Poultry Science Symposium, Sydney, Australia, pp. 214-221.Google Scholar
BESSEI, W. (2011) Feather pecking - new aspects of an old problem. Actes des Neuviemes Journees de la Recherche Avicole, Tours, France, pp. 207-211.Google Scholar
BESTMAN, M., KOENE, P. and WAGENAAR, J.P. (2009) Influence of farm factors on the occurrence of feather pecking in organic reared hens and their predictability for feather pecking in the laying period. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 121: 120-125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BILČı́K, B. and KEELING, L.J. (2000) Relationship between feather pecking and ground pecking in laying hens and the effect of group size. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 68: 55-66.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BLOKHUIS, H.J. and VAN DER HAAR, J.W. (1989) Effects of floor type during rearing and of beak trimming on ground pecking and feather pecking in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 359-369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BLOKHUIS, H.J. (1986) Feather-Pecking in Poultry - Its Relation with Ground-Pecking. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 16: 63-67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BLOKHUIS, H.J. and ARKES, J.G. (1984) Some Observations on the Development of Feather-Pecking in Poultry. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 12: 145-157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BLOKHUIS, H.J. and VAN DER HAAR, J.W. (1992) Effects of Pecking Incentives During Rearing on Feather Pecking of Laying Hens. British Poultry Science 33: 17-24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BRIGHT, A. (2007) Plumage colour and feather pecking in laying hens, a chicken perspective? British Poultry Science 48: 253-263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BRUNBERG, E., JENSEN, P., ISAKSSON, A. and KEELING, L. (2011) Feather pecking behavior in laying hens: Hypothalamic gene expression in birds performing and receiving pecks. Poultry Science 90: 1145-1152.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CAMPO, J.L., GIL, M.G. and DAVILA, S.G. (2005) Effects of specific noise and music stimuli on stress and fear levels of laying hens of several breeds. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 91: 75-84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CHANNING, C.E., HOCKING, P.M. and JONES, R.B. (1998) Feather pecking in adult laying hens: can it be associated with pecking at inanimate objects? British Poultry Science 39: S15-S16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DAIGLE, C.L., RODENBURG, T.B., BOLHUIS, J.E., SWANSON, J.C. and SIEGFORD, J.M. (2014) Use of dynamic and rewarding EE to alleviate feather pecking in non-cage laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 161: 75-85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DAIGLE, C.L., RODENBURG, T.B., BOLHUIS, J.E., SWANSON, J.C. and SIEGFORD, J.M. (2015) Individual consistency of feather pecking behavior in laying hens: once a feather pecker always a feather pecker? Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2: 1-12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DE HAAS, E.N., BOLHUIS, J.E., DE JONG, I.C., KEMP, B., JANCZAK, A.M. and RODENBURG, T.B. (2014a) Predicting feather damage in laying hens during the laying period. Is it the past or is it the present? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 160: 75-85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DE HAAS, E.N., BOLHUIS, J.E., KEMP, B., GROOTHUIS, T.G. and RODENBURG, T.B. (2014b) Parents and early life environment affect behavioral development of laying hen chickens. PloS one 9: e90577.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DE JONG, I.C., GUNNINK, H., ROMMERS, J.M. and BRACKE, M.B.M. (2013) Effect of substrate during early rearing on floor- and feather pecking behaviour in young and adult laying hens. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 77: 15-22.Google Scholar
DIXON, L.M. and DUNCAN, I.J.H. (2010) Changes in Substrate Access Did Not Affect Early Feather-Pecking Behavior in Two Strains of Laying Hen Chicks. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 13: 1-14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DIXON, L.M., DUNCAN, I.J.H. and MASON, G. (2008) What's in a peck? Using fixed action pattern morphology to identify the motivational basis of abnormal feather-pecking behaviour. Animal Behaviour 76: 1035-1042.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GILANI, A.M., KNOWLES, T.G. and NICOL, C.J. (2013) The effect of rearing environment on feather pecking in young and adult laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 148: 54-63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GUNNARSSON, S., KEELING, L.J. and SVEDBERG, J. (1999) Effect of rearing factors on the prevalence of floor eggs, cloacal cannibalism and feather pecking in commercial flocks of loose housed laying hens. British Poultry Science 40: 12-18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HANSEN, I. (1994) Behavioural expressions of laying hens in aviaries and cages - frequencies, time budgets, and facility utilization. British Poultry Science 35: 491-508.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A. and BESSEI, W. (2005) Feather eating and crop filling in laying hens. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 69: 241-244.Google Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A. and FEISE, U. (2009) Physical characteristics of feathers play a role in feather eating behavior. Poultry Science 88: 1800-1804.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A. and HÄUSLER, K. (2009) Understanding feather eating behaviour in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 117: 35-41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A.H., BECK, P. and RODENBURG, T.B. (2010) Effect of an early bitter taste experience on subsequent feather-pecking behaviour in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 127: 108-114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A., BAES, C. and BESSEI, W. (2006a) The demand of laying hens for feathers and wood shavings. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 101: 102-110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A., BENDA, I., LAVETTI, C., DJUKIC, M. and BESSEI, W. (2007) The relative preferences for wood shavings or feathers in high and low feather pecking birds. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 107: 78-87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A., PIEPHO, H.P. and BESSEI, W. (2006b) The effect of feather eating on feed passage in laying hens. Poultry Science 85: 21-25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A., WASSERMANN, F., ZENTEK, J. and BESSEI, W. (2008) Laying hens learn to avoid feathers. Poultry Science 87: 1720-1724.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HARTCHER, K.M., TRAN, K.T.N., WILKINSON, S.J., HEMSWORTH, P.H., THOMSON, P.C. and CRONIN, G.M. (2015) The effects of EE and beak-trimming during the rearing period on subsequent feather damage due to feather-pecking in laying hens. Poultry Science 94: 852-859.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HARTCHER, K.M., THOMSON, P.C., HEMSWORTH, P.H., WILKINSON, S.J., TRAN, K.T.N. and CRONIN, G.M. (0000) Underlying behavioural characteristics of free-range laying hens exhibiting extensive plumage damage due to severe feather-pecking. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.Google Scholar
HETLAND, H., CHOCT, M. and SVIHUS, B. (2004a) Role of insoluble non-starch polysaccharides in poultry nutrition. World's Poultry Science Journal 60: 415-422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HETLAND, H., MOE, R.O., TAUSON, R., LERVIK, S. and SVIHUS, B. (2004b) Effect of Including Whole Oats into Pellets on Performance and Plumage Condition in Laying Hens Housed in Conventional and Furnished Cages. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section a-Animal Science 54: 206-212.Google Scholar
HETLAND, H., SVIHUS, B. and CHOCT, M. (2005) Role of insoluble fiber on gizzard activity in layers. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 14: 38-46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HUBER-EICHER, B. and WECHSLER, B. (1997) Feather pecking in domestic chicks: its relation to dustbathing and foraging. Animal Behaviour 54: 757-768.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HUBER-EICHER, B. and WECHSLER, B. (1998) The effect of quality and availability of foraging materials on feather pecking in laying hen chicks. Animal Behaviour 55: 861-873.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HUGHES, A.L. and BUITENHUIS, A.J. (2010) Reduced variance of gene expression at numerous loci in a population of chickens selected for high feather pecking. Poultry Science 89: 1858-1869.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HUGHES, B.O. and DUNCAN, I.J.H. (1972) Influence of Strain and Environmental Factors Upon Feather Pecking and Cannibalism in Fowls. British Poultry Science 13: 525-547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JANCZAK, A.M. and RIBER, A.B. (2015) Review of rearing-related factors affecting the welfare of laying hens. Poultry Science 94: 1454-1469.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JENSEN, P., KEELING, L., SCHUTZ, K., ANDERSSON, L., MORMEDE, P., BRANDSTROM, H., FORKMAN, B., KERJE, S., FREDRIKSSON, R., OHLSSON, C., LARSSON, S., MALLMIN, H. and KINDMARK, A. (2005) Feather pecking in chickens is genetically related to behavioural and developmental traits. Physiology and Behavior 86: 52-60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JOHNSEN, P.F., VESTERGAARD, K.S. and NØRGAARD-NIELSEN, G. (1998) Influence of early rearing conditions on the development of feather pecking and cannibalism in domestic fowl. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 60: 25-41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JONES, R.B. and HOCKING, P.M. (1999) Genetic selection for poultry behaviour: big bad wolf or friend in need? Animal Welfare 8: 343-359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JONES, R.B., MCADIE, T.M., MCCORQUODALE, C. and KEELING, L.J. (2002) Pecking at other birds and at string enrichment devices by adult laying hens. British Poultry Science 43: 337-343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KALMENDAL, R. and BESSEI, W. (2012) The preference for high-fiber feed in laying hens divergently selected on feather pecking. Poultry Science 91: 1785-1789.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KEELING, L. (2002) Behaviour of fowl and other domesticated birds, in: JENSEN, P. (Ed.) The Ethology of Domestic Animals. An Introductory Text, pp. 101-117 (Wallingford, UK, CABI Publishing).Google Scholar
KJAER, J.B. (2009) Feather pecking in domestic fowl is genetically related to locomotor activity levels: implications for a hyperactivity disorder model of feather pecking. Behavior Genetics 39: 564-570.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KJAER, J.B. and BESSEI, W. (2013) The interrelationships of nutrition and feather pecking in the domestic fowl - a review. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 77: 1-9.Google Scholar
KJAER, J.B., SORENSEN, P. and SU, G. (2001) Divergent selection on feather pecking behaviour in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 71: 229-239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KJAER, J.B., WÜRBEL, H. and SCHRADER, L. (2015) Perseveration in a guessing task by laying hens selected for high or low levels of feather pecking does not support classification of feather pecking as a stereotypy. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 168: 56-60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KOPS, M.S., DE HAAS, E.N., RODENBURG, T.B., ELLEN, E.D., KORTE-BOUWS, G.A., OLIVIER, B., GUNTURKUN, O., BOLHUIS, J.E. and KORTE, S.M. (2013) Effects of feather pecking phenotype (severe feather peckers, victims and non-peckers) on serotonergic and dopaminergic activity in four brain areas of laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Physiology & Behaviour 120: 77-82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KRIEGSEIS, I., BESSEI, W., MEYER, B., ZENTEK, J., WURBEL, H. and HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A. (2012) Feather-pecking response of laying hens to feather and cellulose-based rations fed during rearing. Poultry Science 91: 1514-1521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MASON, G., CLUBB, R., LATHAM, N. and VICKERY, S. (2007) Why and how should we use EE to tackle stereotypic behaviour? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 102: 163-188.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MCADIE, T.M. and KEELING, L.J. (2000) Effect of manipulating feathers of laying hens on the incidence of feather pecking and cannibalism. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 68: 215-229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MCADIE, T.M. and KEELING, L.J. (2002) The social transmission of feather pecking in laying hens: effects of environment and age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 75: 147-159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MCADIE, T.M., KEELING, L.J., BLOKHUIS, H.J. and JONES, R.B. (2005) Reduction in feather pecking and improvement of feather condition with the presentation of a string device to chickens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 93: 67-80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MCKEEGAN, D.E.F. and SAVORY, C.J. (1999) Feather eating in layer pullets and its possible role in the aetiology of feather pecking damage. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 65: 73-85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MCKEEGAN, D.E.F. and SAVORY, C.J. (2001) Feather eating in individually caged hens which differ in their propensity to feather peck. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 73: 131-140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MEYER, B., ZENTEK, J. and HARLANDER-MATAUSCHEK, A. (2013) Differences in intestinal microbial metabolites in laying hens with high and low levels of repetitive feather-pecking behavior. Physiology and Behavior 110: 96-101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NEWBERRY, R.C. (1995) EE: Increasing the biological relevance of captive environments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 44: 229-243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NEWBERRY, R.C., KEELING, L.J., ESTEVEZ, I. and BILCIK, B. (2007) Behaviour when young as a predictor of severe feather pecking in adult laying hens: The redirected foraging hypothesis revisited. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 107: 262-274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NICOL, C.J. (2006) How animals learn from each other. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 100: 58-63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NICOL, C.J., LINDBERG, A.C., PHILLIPS, A.J., POPE, S.J., WILKINS, L.J. and GREEN, L.E. (2001) Influence of prior exposure to wood shavings on feather pecking, dustbathing and foraging in adult laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 73: 141-155.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NØRGAARD-NIELSEN, G. (1997) Dustbathing and feather pecking in domestic chickens reared with and without access to sand. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 52: 99-108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NØRGAARD-NIELSEN, G., VESTERGAARD, K. and SIMONSEN, H.B. (1993) Effects of rearing experience and stimulus enrichment on feather damage in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 38: 345-352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PETEK, M. and MCKINSTRY, J.L. (2010) Reducing the prevalence and severity of injurious pecking in laying hens without beak trimming. Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, Uludag Universitesi 29: 61-68.Google Scholar
RAMADAN, S.G.A. and VON BORELL, E. (2008) Role of loose feathers on the development of feather pecking in laying hens. British Poultry Science 49: 250-256.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RODENBURG, T.B., BUITENHUIS, A.J., ASK, B., UITDEHAAG, K.A., KOENE, P., VAN DER POEL, J.J., VAN ARENDONK, J.A.M. and BOVENHUIS, H. (2004) Genetic and phenotypic correlations between feather pecking and open-field response in laying hens at two different ages. Behavior Genetics 34: 407-415.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RODENBURG, T.B., KOMEN, H., ELLEN, E.D., UITDEHAAG, K.A. and VAN ARENDONK, J.A.M. (2008) Selection method and early-life history affect behavioural development, feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hens: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 110: 217-228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
RODENBURG, T.B., VAN KRIMPEN, M.M., DE JONG, I.C., DE HAAS, E.N., KOPS, M.S., RIEDSTRA, B.J., NORDQUIST, R.E., WAGENAAR, J.P., BESTMAN, M. and NICOL, C.J. (2013) The prevention and control of feather pecking in laying hens: identifying the underlying principles. World's Poultry Science Journal 69: 361-373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAMBROOK, T.D. and BUCHANAN-SMITH, H.M. (1997) Control and complexity in novel object enrichment. Animal Welfare 6: 207-216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SANOTRA, G.S., VESTERGAARD, K.S., AGGER, J.F. and LAWSON, L.G. (1995) The relative preferences for feathers, straw, wood-shavings and sand for dustbathing, pecking and scratching in domestic chicks Applied Animal Behaviour Science 43: 263-277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAVORY, C.J. (1995) Feather Pecking and Cannibalism. World's Poultry Science Journal 51: 215-219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TAROU, L.R. and BASHAW, M.J. (2007) Maximising the effectiveness of EE: Suggestions from the experimental analysis of behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 102: 189-204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
UITDEHAAG, K.A., RODENBURG, T.B., BOLHUIS, J.E., DECUYPERE, E. and KOMEN, H. (2009) Mixed housing of different genetic lines of laying hens negatively affects feather pecking and fear related behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 116: 58-66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WECHSLER, B. and HUBER-EICHER, B. (1998) The effect of foraging material and perch height on feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58: 131-141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WECHSLER, B., HUBER-EICHER, B. and NASH, D.R. (1998) Feather pecking in growers: a study with individually marked birds. British Poultry Science 39: 178-185.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WELLS, D.L. (2009) Sensory stimulation as EE for captive animals: A review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 118: 1-11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ZELTNER, E., KLEIN, T. and HUBER-EICHER, B. (2000) Is there social transmission of feather pecking in groups of laying hen chicks? Animal Behaviour 60: 211-216.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed