VICES IN POULTRY- CAUSES AND PREVENTION
Birds may suffer from certain bad habits, known as poultry vices. Such bad habits become quite extensive right from the beginning and their eradication poses a big problem. As a result, these vices may incur a huge loss to the poultry farmers.
Some of the common vices (bad habits) and their prevention are briefly described here.
- Cannibalism
- Egg eating
- Egg hiding
- Pica
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is a condition in which birds of a flock attack their pen mate and eat their flesh, causing deep wounds and heavy mortality.
Vent pecking is an abnormal behaviour of birds performed primarily by commercial egg-laying hens. It is characterized by pecking damage to the cloaca, the surrounding skin and underlying tissue. It causes pain and distress to the bird being pecked. Tearing of the skin increases susceptibility to disease and may lead to cannibalism. Once the birds adopt this vice it spreads rapidly through the flock.
Symptoms- Presence of wounded or dead birds showing wound but otherwise appear healthy is indicative of cannibalism.
Reasons for cannibalism
- Overcrowding causes less opportunity for exercise and the less active birds adopt vices.
- Hemorrhages in the external genitalia due to laying of large eggs by new hens attracts other birds and once the birds develop taste for blood and meat they develop the habit of cannibalism.
- Protein deficient diet or provision of less diet or excess of corn in the diet are said to be important factors.
- Deficiency of arginine and methionine are supposed to be more responsible for development of cannibalistic activity.
- Loss of feathers from the body or hemorrhage from the skin due to parasitic infestation may predispose to cannibalism.
- Fighting between birds causes wounds leads as a stimulus for cannibalistic activity.
Prevention
- “Prevention is better than cure” holds good for cannibalism. Hence, Poultry farmer must remain vigilant to prevent cannibalism, since it has not any direct treatment.
- Debeaking, One-third of the upper beak and tip of the lower beak is to be cut. Immediate debeaking of the birds is necessary. It can be done either manually or mechanically right from the day old chicks to any age. However, mechanical way of debeaking has an advantage that it does not require second cutting of beak which may require in case of manual debeaking.
- Birds involved in cannibalism must be isolated. Wounded birds should also be segregated and given proper treatment. Margosa oil is found effective for wound healing in poultry.
- Overcrowding of the birds must be immediately corrected.
- Feed must be available in sufficient quantity at all the times.
- Laying nests must be built at peaceful, isolated places. Provision of red bulbs near laying nests may help during the period of the problem.
- Addition of raw meat in the feed or increase the amount of fish meal.
- Quantity of vitamin, mineral mixture and salt may be marginally increased in poultry ration.
- Increased amount of methionine in the diet is said to prevent this habit in layers.
Egg eating
- Sometimes birds develop vice to eat their own eggs. This bad habit becomes quite difficult to prevent.
- It may start due to the presence of cracked eggs or accidental breaking of eggs and once the birds develop taste for it they start breaking their own eggs.
- Thin or soft egg shell or lack of sufficient bedding material in the laying area is responsible for breaking/cracking of eggs.
- Presence of eggs for longer period in the pens may also encourage the birds to start egg eating.
Prevention
- Isolate the birds which have developed this habit.
- Quantity of lime stone and protein should be increased in the diet.
- Egg eaters should be kept in a sloppy cage, so that egg rolls away beyond the reach of the bird after laying of the eggs.
- Debeaking is also useful.
- Darkness in the laying area may prevent this habit.
- Egg collection interval should be reduced.
Egg hiding
However, egg hiding is a maternal instinct of jungle fowl, but sometimes this habit may develop in the domestic fowl which are allowed freedom of movement. They hide the eggs in the field, bushes etc.
Prevention
- Restrict freedom of movement of the birds.
- Laying area should be built inside poultry house and made comfortable by providing sawdust, straw etc.
Pica
- It is the tendency of birds to start eating unfit materials for consumption, such as feathers, litter material, threads, etc.
- Phosphorus deficiency, parasitic infestation, new litter material etc. may predispose the birds to pica.
- Proper management and balanced diet are recommended for the prevention of pica.
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