Beak trimming in layer hens — the partial removal or infrared treatment of the beak tip — is practised to reduce injurious feather pecking and cannibalism, but itself constitutes a welfare procedure causing acute and potentially chronic pain. Infrared beak treatment (IRT) at hatch has largely replaced hot-blade trimming in commercial systems, showing reduced acute pain indicators and faster recovery. However, evidence of chronic neuroma formation and ongoing beak sensitivity requires careful evaluation. Alternatives to beak trimming include low-light environments, enriched housing with foraging substrates, dietary tryptophan supplementation, and genetic selection for non-injurious pecking strains. Norway and some other countries have banned beak trimming; outcomes data suggest feather pecking can be managed without trimming in well-managed systems. Precision lighting and environmental enrichment are key mitigation tools.