Beak trimming in laying hens reduces feather pecking injury but is itself a welfare compromise, and alternative management strategies are increasingly replacing it in higher-welfare systems.
Beak trimming is a welfare dilemma - it reduces the harm caused by feather pecking, but causes its own suffering. The ideal solution is to address the causes of feather pecking rather than its consequences. Enriched environments, appropriate lighting, lower stocking densities, and breeds selected for less fearful temperaments can allow intact beak management in commercial systems.