Guidelines

A number of factors including bird behavior, production, physiological measurements of stress and the structure of a bird's beak were evaluated to see whether beak trimming compromises animal well-being. Scientific evidence shows that beak trimming rarely compromises animal well-being. In fact, beak trimming actually helps reduce pecking, feather pulling, cannibalism and decreases mortality.

United Egg Producers recommends beak trimming only when necessary to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism. There are several guidelines that America's egg farmers have to abide by during the beak trimming process.

UEP guidelines include proper training for farmers that beak trim, providing proper nutrients to the chickens before and after the procedure, being limited to perform beak trimming only in the first ten days of the chicken's life, and assuring that the chickens are not subjected to stressful conditions before and after the beak trimming.