Cannibalism in Poultry causes of problems complex and probably involve nutrition, genetics and management Wilbor 0. Wilson Chickens and turkeys normally feed of raising broilers on high corn and low nutritional. Breed and strain differences on grains, vegetation and meat but under fiber rations does not necessarily cast allegedly exist. It is not certain whether certain conditions they may become meat doubt on the previous reports of the ef- the tendency is to cannibalize or to be a eaters to the extent of being cannibalistic. fects of corn and fiber on cannibalism, ready victim. In baby chicks, toe-picking is the first but it certainly adds confusion to the symptom; feather picking comes later. problem and emphasizes its complexity. The soft quills which are filled with blood Mineral supplements such as sodium Nutritional Preventatives are especially appetizing to the cannibals. chloride, calcium chloride and manga- The most logical nutritional preventa- Small feathers on the back and wings are nese seem also to play uncertain roles. tive measure which has been suggested is most easily accessible for picking. Feather Certain protein supplements may in some the feeding of the most complete diet that picking also occurs around the vent and instances be a limiting factor. is possible, so that if there are nutritional tail. Once blood has been drawn from a It will be impossible to do reliable re- factors required to prevent cannibalism bird, its pen mates literally see red and search until cannibalism can be produced it would make their chance inclusion most they go to work picking blood and meat experimentally at will. A good example possible. from the victim. Unless the picked bird of the difficulties involved is that experi- There are more specific nutritional is removed or treated the bird will be enced at the Poultry Division of the Uni- recommendations: among them the feed- picked to death, as will others, for canni- versity of California. ing of manganese; extra salt; fresh balism once started is a vicious habit. A severe outbreak of cannibalism oc- greens; and various types of fiber such Cannibalism is not confined to chick- curred in chicks from breeder hens on an as those of wheat bran, dehydrated alfalfa ens. Pheasants and game birds raised in experimental diet composed largely of and oat hulls. None of these nutritional captivity are notorious feather pickers. polished rice and fishmeal. Preliminary measures has yielded consistent results in Turkeys and ducks may also become can- studies indicated that corn aggravated entirely eliminating cannibalism. nibalistic. and oats prevented the condition. A cru- The prevalence of cannibalism varies cial experiment was then set up with from flock to flock and season to season. sufficient numbers to prove or disprove Managamental Preventatives In some extreme cases mortality as high these preliminary observations. Precisely Among the managemental recommen- as 4.076 has been reported. Even in cases at this time the chicks ceased to be canni- dations for combating cannibalism are: where the mortality is kept at a low level, balistic although there was no change in I, Prevention of overcrowding; 2, Pro- losses in market value may occur. The the feed, the management, or the birds. vision of adequate feeding and watering increase in the number of bare-backed The whole investigation yielded nothing facilities; 3, Devices to keep birds busy; and blue-backed birds in the case of definite in the way of results. It is not 4, Ruby colored lights so that birds will colored turkeys results from cannibalism. known why cannibalism started nor why not see bloody parts of picked birds; 5, Bruises and torn skin and scabs in picked it ended. Antipick salves which taste unpleasant to areas also result from this vice. the birds. The causes of cannibalism are uncer- tain and vcry complex, and probably Manag,ementFactors involve the nutrition of the bird, its Many management factors have been Mechanical Antipick Devices genetic background and its management. alleged to play important roles in canni- Many mechanical devices for the pre- balism-among them, overcrowding, in- vention of picking have been recom- sufficient feeding and watering facilities, mended. Some prevent the bird from Nutritional Factors and keeping the birds on wire floors. Yet, picking, except downward. Others are It is likely that a deficiency of any one when all managemental factors alleged to blinders which prevent birds from seeing of several nutrients may cause the bird promote cannibalism are combined in an straight ahead. Red plastic blinders have to have a depraved appetite and may lead effort to produce cannibalism, failure been developed which make everything to cannibalism. frequently results, rendering uncertain in front of the bird appear red, but the It is also possible that there exist spe- the role that is played by management of objects to the side are unaffected. These cific factors which are needed to prevent the birds. mechanical devices have been used more cannibalism and other factors whose or less successfully in various places. presence in a ration is conducive to the vice. Genetic Factors The reported prevalence of cannibalism It has been observed that lots of birds Debeaking on high corn-containing feeds indicates from different hatcheries on the same feed This is the surest means of controlling that corn is deficient in a factor necessary and under the same management may all cannibalism. The procedure is to remove for the prevention of cannibalism or con- be free from cannibalism except perhaps a portion-about one half-of the upper tains a factor which promotes it. for one pen. This points to the involve- beak by means of a heated knife or iron Fiber has repeatedly been reported as ment of a genetic factor in cannibalism. which cauterizes the tissue and prevents playing a role, more especially the fiber The ration of the breeder hens may play bleeding. When about one half of the of oat hulls. The recent reported success a role here and the problem may still be Continued on page 16 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, JUNE, 1949 13 ALFALFA No pre-emergence spraying or cultiva- tion was used in the plots of this experi- Continued from page 5 ment previous to the use of 2,4-D. The Tests have shown that the wilt resist- weeds were purposely allowed to attain ance has been maintained, and the desir- considerable size and were therefore hard to kill. A copy of the publications listed here may be able characteristics of California Common obtained without charge from the local ofice of have been combined with it. the Farm Advisor or by addressing a request to This exact breeding procedure has Effect in Weeds Publications Ofice, College of Agriculture, Uni- been tested thoroughly with such self- versity of California, Berkeley 4, California. pollinated crops as wheat and barley. The Water grass was not killed at all by the FERTILIZERS, SOIL ANALYSIS, AND results obtained with alfalfa to date show 2,4-D. Rough pigweed and tumbling pig- PLANT NUTRITION, 1949, by D. R. that the procedure is equally applicable weed required three pounds per acre of Hoagland, Cir. 367, Revised April, 1949. to cross-fertilized crops. 2,4-D for a satisfactory kill. All the other weeds present were killed satisfactorily This circular explains in nontechnical E. H.Stanford is Assistant Professor of Agron- by the one- or two-pound applications. terms how plants, soils, and fertilizers are omy and Assistant Agronomist in the Experi- related. It does not give specific recom- ment Station, Davis. It would seem as though a pre-emer- mendations for fertilizing a particular B. R. Houston, Assistant Professor of Plant gence treatment with a fortified oil emul- soil or crop; but gives farmers a basis for Pathology and Assistant Plant Pathologist in sion, or one early shallow cultivation, the Experiment Station, Davis, is cooperating in choosing their fertilizer program wisely. this development program. followed by a one pound per acre appli- It lists the “plant foods” crops need cation of 2,4-D sprayed at the base of the and discusses certain soil conditions that plants when they are a foot high would sometimes make it dificult for plunts to be an effective procedure for weed con- get some of them from the soil. It ex- POULTRY trol in sweet corn. plains the limitations of soil analysis in solving fertilizer problems, and describes W. Zink is an Associate in Truck Crops, Continued from page 13 F. Davis, and stationed at the Meloland Field Sta- the use of plant analysis for studying what “plant foods” a crop lacks. upper beak is removed-according to tion in the Imperial Valley. general observations-it takes about six months to grow back. The rate of debeak- ing varies with operators and their experi- DONATIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ence. A crew of two men can debeak about Gifts to the University of California for research by the College of Agriculture 300 birds per hour. accepted in April, 1949 BERKELEY General Chemical Division, Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation 48 Ibs. Geniton S-50,48 Ibs. Astr. Lead Arsenate Future Research Division of Entomology & Parasitology The most certain information on canni- American Cyanamid Co.. .............................................. .10 Ibs. Parathion Division of Entomology & Parasitology balism is its uncertainty and complexity. Beet Sugar Development Foundation. ........................................... $ 1,500.00 This is not surprising since inheritance, Division of Plant Nutrition California Olive Association. ................................................... $250.00 management and nutrition may all be in- Division of Food Technology volved in its expression. Reports on stu- California Spray Chemical Corp.. ......................................... 1 drum Tanatox dies of cannibalism are numerous, which Division of Entomology & Parasitology Chipman Chemical Company. ............................ 1 gallon can Toxaphene 60% liquid is a measure of how little accurate and Division of Entomology & Parasitology Corn Industries Research Foundation, ........................................