Feather pecking is one of the most serious welfare problems in laying hen production, driven by environmental frustration and amenable to prevention through management and genetic selection.
Feather pecking welfare is a paradigm case where the standard industry solution — beak trimming — creates a welfare problem to manage a welfare problem, when the root cause remains unaddressed. Evidence overwhelmingly supports foraging opportunity as the primary prevention strategy. Farms providing adequate litter depth, foraging material, and reduced stocking density consistently achieve feather pecking rates far below those managed through beak trimming alone. The welfare-optimal pathway combines genetic selection, litter provision, and stocking density management without beak trimming.