How to Safely Debeak Chickens & Other Poultry Birds

What is Debeaking or Beak Trimming?

Beak trimming in poultry management is the act of reducing the length of the beak of poultry birds. The purpose of doing this is to prevent feather pulling and cannibalism and to reduce feed wastage. It is a delicate operation, and if it is improperly done, it may lead to difficulties in drinking and eating, which directly leads to poor growth, unevenness in the flock, and even mortality as a result of blood loss.

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The operation can be carried out at one week old (7-9 days) and a few weeks-old (8-10 weeks). The advantage of debeaking at one week old is that the operation would have a minimal effect on the chick’s body weight and it is not necessary to carry it out again a second time during the rearing period. For precise beak trimming operation, the birds should be a few weeks old (8-10 weeks). The general disadvantage of debeaking or beak trimming is that, when it is improperly done, it could take longer for the birds to regain body weight.

Read also: Common Brooding Mistakes Poultry Farmers Should Avoid

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Benefits or Advantages of Debeaking

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The advantages or benefits of debeaking your birds are as follows:

• To prevents wastage of feeds
• It reduces the incidence of pecking and cannibalism
• It reduces feather picking
• It makes handling of chicken easier

Debeaking Techniques

The different ways of trimming the beak of birds are:

• Use of machine
• Use of knife

How to Use the Debeaking Machine

The debeaking machine makes it faster and easier to debeak chickens. There are automatic and semi-automatic poultry beak trimming machines. Follow the procedures below to use the automatic debeaking (beak trimming) machine.

• When the switch is turned on, adjust the temperature of the movable blade till it looks reddish or bright.
• When the movable blade glows, start the motor switch and the boat-shaped switch.
• Adjust the aperture of the micro cutter blade according to the beak size.
• Hold the chicken’s feet with the left hand, the neck with the right thumb, and pin the throat with the forefinger of the right hand. Stick the beak of the chicken into the aperture.
• Bleeding stops in 2 – 4 seconds after the movable blade drops.

How to Use the Debeaking Knife

You can use the normal kitchen knife to debeak your chickens. How to do this:

You will need a partner to do this comfortably

• Place the knife on burning stove or coal and allow to be red hot
• Let your partner hold the chicken’s legs and hold the head (toward the mouth) of the chicken with one hand and gently cut the pointed tip of the chicken’s beak using the hot knife.
• Release the bird afterwards.

You can do this easily and faster by using an Handheld Electric Debeaking knife

Read Also: How to weigh live Poultry birds Accurately

Rules in Debeaking or Beak Trimming

Before beak trimming:

• Do not debeak birds if the flock is not in good health or if it is undergoing from vaccine reactions.
• Add Vitamin K to the drinking water 48 hours prior to trimming and after to prevent haemorrhages.
• Check the equipment and make sure that the trimming blade has the right temperature to cauterize, but not so high to form a blister on the beak later.

During beak trimming:

• The operator should be installed and seated comfortably in such a way that each beak will be cut in the same manner.
• Do not rush the process: a too high rate (number of birds/minute) could lead to a higher chance of errors and poor uniformity.
• Clean the blades with sandpaper after use of 5,000 chicks or birds.
• Make sure the tongue of the bird is not burned.

After beak trimming:

• Increase the water level in the drinkers and the pressure in the pipes to make it easy for the birds to drink.
• Make sure that the depth of the feed is adequate. Do not empty the feeders for a week following beak trimming.
• It is important to give birds anti-stress or multivitamins before and after the operation so as to reduce the stress effect on the birds’ performance.
• It is highly beneficial to debeak poultry birds to reduce mortality due to pecking, and wastage of feed to save cost.

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