Beak lengths of young laying hens (pullets) from flocks provided with potential beak-blunting materials and from control flocks

Injurious Pecking, commonly controlled by beak trimming (BT) is a widespread issue in laying hens associated with thwarted foraging. This controlled study compared the effect in intact and beak-trimmed pullets of providing pecking pans to 8 treatment flocks from 6 weeks of age. Flocks (mean size 6,843) comprised 8 British Blacktail, 6 Lohmann Brown and 2 Bovans Brown. All young birds (6-7 weeks) pecked more frequently at the pecking pans (mean 40.4) than older pullets (mean 26.0, 23.3 pecks/bird/minute at 10-11 weeks and 14-15 weeks respectively) (p<0.005).  There was no effect on feather pecking or plumage cover. Mean side-beak length and mean top-beak lengths were shorter in treatment flocks at 6-7 weeks and 10-11 weeks (p <0.001). Intact-beak treatment flocks had shorter mean side-beak length at 10-11 weeks (p < 0.001) and at 14-15 weeks (p<0.05) and mean top-beak length at 6-7 weeks (p < 0.05) and at 10-11 weeks (p < 0.05). BT treatment flocks had shorter side-beak and top-beak lengths at 6-7 weeks and at 10-11 weeks (p<0.001).  Beak lengths showed linear growth, with individual bird variation indicating a potential for genetic selection. The study demonstrated that abrasive material can reduce beak length in pullets.