Controlling Feather Pecking & Cannibalism in Laying Hens without Beak Trimming in Deep Litter-A Review

Hens are often beak trimmed to reduce the risk of welfare problems caused by feather pecking and cannibalism. The consequences of beak trimming for welfare include trauma during the procedure, pain due to tissue damage and nerve injury, loss of normal function due to reduced ability to sense materials with the beak, and loss of integrity of a living animal. This report reviews the evidence from the scientific literature and from practical experience, which demonstrates that feather pecking and cannibalism can be controlled in non-cage systems without beak trimming through (i) the use of appropriate strains and selective breeding to further reduce the hens’ propensity to feather peck and (ii) good design of noncage systems and implementation of a range of preventive managementpractices. Experience in other European countries where beak trimming has been prohibited indicates that, with experience, laying hens can be successfully managed in non-cage systems without beak trimming.