The genetics that cause hens to peck

Marjolein Kops from Utrecht University hypothesizes that two chemicals, serotonin and dopamine, along with management and genetics affect the desire of hens to feather peck. Serotonin helps regulate mood, impulsiveness and aggression and dopamine is involved in motivational and reward-related behavior. Severe feather pecking in a flock can be trigger by stressors, such as diet, environmental disturbances or housing conditions and can be measured by the lack of feather cover of victims. Due to the small of DNA variations of hens, some are more vulnerable to the triggers setting off dopamine/serotonin receptors, which cause onsets of severe feather pecking during adulthood. Dr. Kops.

During the study, Dr.Kops used leghorn birds, one group being aggressive and the other being more docile, and examined the birds’ brain distribution of serotonin and dopamine. Through the study, she categorized the birds based on pecking behavior; first order peckers and second order peckers.. First order peckers instigated pecking, which influenced others, second order pecker, to peck. Another categorized group were the victim and the non-pecker. The first order pecker birds were genetically inclined to peck by stressors. Whereas, the second order will only peck after witnessing the damaged feathers of victims. Dr.Kops states that further research is needed to assess the categorization of the birds and brain chemicals produced by the birds.

Dr. Kops research can help farmers identify and remove aggressive birds in young flocks to reduce pecking. Also, it can reduce injuries or deaths cause by pecking and reduce the need to trim beaks of birds to stop/prevent pecking.

Original Link: http://www.fwi.co.uk/poultry/the-genetics-that-cause-hens-to-peck.htm
Related Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather_pecking