Bangladesh: Impact of bamboo splints to reduce nail growth of layer birds to improve inner city food security
Hens may try to escape from the cage because of these disturbances, resulting in serious injuries to other hens using their claws.
Dr. Mohammed Habibur Rahman,
Professor of Pathology
The Blue Crescent Veterinary Hospital, Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
Nov 2023
Excerpt:
Hens living in wire cages lack the opportunity to abrade their claws, resulting in uncontrolled claw growth. It causes pain and discomfort and decrease livability in egg laying poultry. As a result, I used stages made up of bamboo splints as floor material to minimize the claw growth and this reports the effects of introducing such practice to improve foot health and stress in layers. In order to assess the effects, two groups of birds were reared on the roof-top: one in metal cages with wire netted floor while other have been rearing on metal cage however with a floor made up of bamboo splints. Altogether, 60 birds are living for the last nine months. These pullets came to lay in time however, the effects of metal cage with wire netted floor on the development has been noticed. It is highly unlikely that any other factors are involved in an unusual growth of nails in the birds kept in metal cages since, they are receiving the same commercial feed. Cannibalism has been noticed in birds reared on metal cages when they struggle laying eggs (Fig. 3). However, it has not been seen when they were on the bamboo splint floor.
Due to increasing consumer concern for animal welfare and growing feed costs, metal cage systems for commercial layers have become major challenge to reduce cannibalism. Hens living in wire cages lack the opportunity to abrade their claws, resulting in uncontrolled nail extension (Fig. 1). The middle claw can grow from 18 to 30 mm by the end of cage-based laying. When they become long and sharp, the claws can cause skin abrasions or scratches on their flock mates, particularly during periods of disturbance. These periods of disturbance can include (i) when they are being fed and during egg collection, (ii) during regular cleaning and maintenance of the house, (iii) while the bottom trays are being moved, (iv) when they encounter unfamiliar employees, or (v) when they are stimulated by unexpected loud noises and uncontrolled events in the shed.
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