Feather Pecking Behavior in Laying Hens: Challenges in Management and Breeding

Feather pecking is a global problem in laying hen flocks, causing massive impairments of animal welfare and economic losses. The propensity to perform this unwanted behavior is determined by intrinsic factors, which are partly under genetic control. The motivation is likely linked to explorative behavior and foraging and mechanistically, GABAergig and serotonergic neurotransmission can be assumed to play a central role. The expression of the actual behavior is triggered by various extrinsic factors and together, the knowledge about intrinsic and extrinsic factors and their interplay has important implications for management and breeding.