Does anyone clip the top beak of their chickens? I have heard that it can help to prevent cannibalism and just plain old pecking of fellow chicks. Is this something I should consider? I am planning to have 8 chickens, which will arrive in a few days
In my opinion, no, you will not need to clip your chickens beak. I believe this practice is usually only used in large poultry facilities. The reason the chickens become cannibalistic is because they are in less than desirable living quarters, packed in like sardines, etc. As long as you have plenty of room for your birds, they will be fine.
Oh, I thought I might also mention that it is normal for chickens to peck at each other but not in excess. This is how they determine their place in the flock. This is called "Pecking Order". You will often find the chicken at the bottom of the pecking order is a loner. The type of pecking you need to watch for is excessive pecking. If a bird is injured or has blood on them, they will be pecked at as the chickens are drawn to the red blood. It is best to remove any injured chicken from the flock to allow them time to heal.
What you're describing is "debeaking." It's painful for the chicken and permanently disables them. The beak does not grow back.
