No Shelter: living in mud

Shelter? What Shelter?

Alerted by concerned students at Myerscough College we first inspected the pheasant breeding pens on the 21st May 2006. It had been raining heavily for several days.

Incredibly for a college teaching animal welfare none of the breeding pens provided even basic shelter for the pheasants. As a result they were totally exposed to the elements and rain had turned the ground where they live, sleep and lay their eggs into mud.

Many birds are fitted with plastic 'specs'

Unnatural

In addition to the totally unnatural breeding conditions most of the pheasants are fitted with 'specs' and all with 'brails'. Pheasants are fitted with specs in an attempt to reduce aggression amongst the birds in unnatural confined conditions by limiting their field of vision.

Brails, bands of material looped over the shoulder of one wing and twisted to keep the wing closed, are fitted to one wing to prevent them attempting to fly when their eggs are collected. Wing-spreading and preening are basic behavioural needs, yet brailing prevents birds from engaging in this behaviour.

Head injury at Myerscough College

Serious Injuries

Over the course of our 15 day investigation we witnessed and filmed numerous injured pheasants. These included serious head injuries, running sores and leg injuries.

According to Dr. Theresia Lavergne, assistant professor in the LSU AgCenter's Department of Animal Sciences, "pheasants will pick on cripples or dead birds in their pens because of the social order and curiosity. Once pecking starts it can quickly develop into a vicious habit."

Cannibalism at Mysercough College

Cannibalism

On the 2nd June we witnessed a pheasant trying to shelter in the corner of a pen. It had suffered from serious pecking and its spine was totally exposed. At no time did she attempt to move even though she was still alive. She appeared to be in a state of shock. During filming other pheasants were clearly intent on cannibalism and one bird started to feed off the open wound and another would have done except for our presence.

"Cannibalism usually occurs when the birds are stressed by a poor management practice. Once becoming stressed, one bird begins picking the feathers, comb, toes or vent of another bird. Once an open wound or blood is visible on the bird, the vicious habit of cannibalism can spread rapidly through the entire flock," Lavergne says.

Cannibalised then dumped

Dumped

On the 3rd June the pheasant that we filmed being cannibalised the day before was dead, but rather than being removed to the pit it had simply been dumped in the open just outside its pen. Another bird in the same pen was filmed now showing signs of being pecked which wasn't evident the day before.

Over the course of our investigation we came across numerous dead pheasants close to the breeding pens.

No Food

No Food or Water

Friday 2nd June was one of the hottest days of the year, yet 350 pheasants were left without water due to a fault in a connector supplying water to 38 pens. In pen after pen desperate pheasants were pecking on the water feed in a hopeless attempt to drink. Before leaving we provided a temporary fix to the connector and ensured every pen was being supplied with water.

On Saturday 3rd June we became aware that several of the bird feeders were completely empty meaning many pheasants didn't have access to food. It is worth repeating, this is a college that teaches animal welfare!

According to Phillip J. Clauer, Poultry Extension Specialist, "If the birds have to fight for food and water, or if the birds are always hungry they will increase pecking."

Just one example of pecking

Pecking

During the second week of our investigation the weather changed from heavy rain to uncomfortably hot. The change also escualated the problem of pecking. Whilst there was evidence of pecking during the first week it increased ten-fold with the change in weather.

According to Clauer, "When the birds become uncomfortably hot they can become extremely cannibalistic...Extremely bright light or excessively long periods of light will cause birds to become hostile toward one another."

With no shelter from the sun and light the resulting pecking was only to be expected.

Death pit for birds dying during breeding.

Death Pit

On the 24th May heavy rain had again made it too dark to film. However at the end of the top row of breeding pens there was a strong smell of death. On closer inspection a pit had been dug close to the breeding pens. It contained the remains of dead pheasants. The smell was repugnant.

It is a legal requirement that dead birds are buried, however why are so many breeding birds dying at a Myerscough College?