Cannibalism is a strange behavior in chicken which is characterized by pecking of feathers and can result in skin injury. Conditions of the environment as well as management are the major determinants of cannibalism in your chicken flock.
Here are the tips to prevent cannibalism in your flock:
Trimming the beaks of aggressive birds
This will reduce the intensity of harm when aggressive birds peck each other. Remember to trim the beaks properly to avoid creating feeding problems to your flock. A farmer should approximately trim 1/3 of the tip to make a square tip.
Create an outside run for your birds
This will keep your flock busy as they will run within the enclosed run. It will also allow the birds to peck greens, ground, and insects instead of other chicken in the flock. it also helps to reduce overcrowding of the flock which also contributes to cannibalism.
Increase your flock’s fiber intake by giving your birds fresh leafy greens such as clover grass or other types of weeds on daily basis. This fiber material will fill gizzards of your flock and divert their attention from pecking each other.
You can as well provide mechanical devices such as shiny plastics for your aggressive birds. It will divert the attention of aggressive birds from hurting other chicken in the flock.
Hanging of shiny cans within the house of your chicken will draw the attention of aggressive birds, and thus, it will prevent them from hurting other chicken within the flock.