Debeaking Meaties

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Anyone routinely have this done?

Now that I am getting into the larger quantities of chicks (100+) I am have some serious picking problems with the older birds. And they have plenty of room. I think they are bord. They picked one to death overnight last week, I felt horrible. I usually remove any with any kind of the slighest injury because I know they will obviously go for blood but this is awful.

So while I don't support debeaking for layers and pets I am starting to lean towards getting it done to my meat chicks since they are around for such a short time.

Anyone else do this?

 

[TriciaHowe]

Probably in the majority thinking here but if you are getting your next batch from the hatchery debeaked and you are having that big of a picking problem now I don't think it's a bad idea to look into it like you are doing. I hope you get some good responses from people who have some history with debeaked meaties. Have you looked into the anti pick bits and specticals? I don't know if any method is more "humane" than another, but anything beats loosing birds to stress and infection from being picked.
Good luck

 

[Swamp]

Red lighting perhaps? Maybe more square footage per bird?

Good article here:

http://www.cias.wisc.edu/curriculum/modIII/secb/Muscovy_Duck.pdf