Chicken pecking syndrome refers to a complex syndrome of multiple diseases caused by disorders of nutritional metabolism, abnormal taste, and improper feeding management. It primarily includes feather pecking, vent pecking, egg pecking, and toe pecking, which are severe vices in poultry production and breeding, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Etiology of the Disease
The causes of pecking behavior are complex, including factors such as environment, diet, and hormones.
Environmental Factors
Chicken coops are damp, overly hot, poorly ventilated, with high concentrations of harmful gases, excessive light, high density, infestations of external parasites, restricted feeding, and insufficient bedding.
Daily Feed Factors
The complete feed lacks adequate nutrition, with low protein content, imbalanced amino acids, low crude fiber levels, deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, insufficient salt, and high corn content. Particle-based complete feed is more likely to cause issues than powder-based feed. Caged systems are more prone to such issues than floor systems.
Mite Factor
Chicken flocks may be susceptible to mites on their skin.
Hormonal Factors, Mite Factors
Estrogen and progesterone levels in the blood at the onset of laying, as well as the increase in androgens in roosters, are factors that enhance the tendency towards pecking.
Picking Feather Habit The picking feather habit often occurs in young chickens when they start growing new feathers or molting. It is also common in laying hens during peak laying periods and molting phases. The primary action involves pecking at the feathers on the back, resulting in sparse and damaged feathers on the back of the affected chickens. The new feathers that grow in are coarse and hard at the roots, which is不利于屠宰加工 and affects quality in meat chickens. In egg-laying hens, it impacts egg production. Moreover, the loss of feathers due to picking, along with the chasing and pecking during the habit, can disrupt the normal growth and development of chickens, leading to economic losses. The main cause is an incomplete diet, particularly deficiencies in Vitamin B12, sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine), folic acid, and choline. Additionally, external parasites causing skin irritation, mosquito bites, and a lack of exercise can all contribute to the onset of the condition.
Cockfighting often occurs in laying hens, caused by the stress of laying eggs. This leads to relaxation of abdominal ligaments and anal sphincter muscles. After laying, the cloaca fails to contract promptly, leaving it exposed for an extended period, resulting in mutual pecking and bleeding, which can exacerbate the condition.
Chicken pecking: It is common for chickens to rush to peck at eggs immediately after they are laid, and sometimes the hens themselves will peck at their own eggs. This behavior is most prevalent in laying flocks, especially high-yielding ones, and is often due to a lack of calcium or insufficient protein in the feed, often accompanied by thin-shelled or soft-shelled eggs.
Toungue-tie is more common in chicks and young chickens. It is caused by either delayed or insufficient feeding, leading the chickens to peck at their toes in search of food.
Preventive Measures
When combating this disease, prevention should be the priority, with early detection and treatment. Initially, it is crucial to understand and eliminate the causes of inbreeding, and then, based on the diagnosed cause, adopt corresponding preventive and control measures.
Remove chickens with a strong tendency to peck each other promptly and keep them in separate pens. Isolate the pecked chickens and apply strong-tasting antiseptic medications such as gentian violet, berberine, and chloramphenicol to the pecked areas. This not only helps to reduce inflammation but also discourages the chickens from pecking further. As a preventive measure, apply used engine oil from generators to the areas prone to pecking. The unpleasant odor and unsightly color will deter the chickens from showing interest.
Cleft beak, although it cannot completely prevent pecking, can reduce its incidence and minimize injuries. The best time for cleft beak is between 7 to 10 days old, with another trimming before laying starts. Precision is key for cleft beak, and it should be performed by professionals. Successful cleft beak can prevent pecking and also reduce feed waste.
Light intensity should not exceed, with a maximum of 3 watts per meter for incandescent lighting. Lighting time should be strictly adhered to the breeding management procedures; excessive lighting can lead to an increase in pecking behavior. Improper lighting control during the chick-rearing period can result in pecking during the laying stage, causing irreparable losses.
Reducing density and providing ample space for chickens can decrease the likelihood of pecking behavior.
Enhance ventilation and air exchange to reduce the concentration of harmful gases indoors.
Maintain strict temperature and humidity control to prevent overcrowding, stacking, restlessness, and increased pecking behavior due to uncomfortable environmental conditions.
Offer a nutritionally balanced daily ration, ensuring corn content does not exceed 65%, and pay special attention to the amino acid balance in vegetarian protein formulas. Avoiding monotonous feed will yield favorable results.
Adding 0.2% methionine to the feed can reduce feather pecking. Supplementing each chicken with 0.5 to 3 grams of calcium sulfate powder per day can quickly eliminate the habit. To address feather pecking caused by salt deficiency, add 1.5% to 2% salt to the feed for 3 to 4 consecutive days. However, avoid long-term feeding to prevent salt poisoning.
A flock of chickens with a pecking habit can be distracted by dimming the shed's lighting or using red light, or by placing gourds, tubers, green vegetables, and branches with leaves inside for them to peck at.
Supplement with gravel to enhance digestion rates. Select hard, non-breakable gravel from river sand, with the size of millet grains for chicks and corn grains for adult chickens, and mix it into the daily ration at a rate of 0.5% to 1%.