Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

Quantitative assessment of facial barbering recovery in response to environmental enrichment: A case report

Environmental enrichment was shown to delay the onset and reduce the prevalence and severity of barbering-induced alopecia in C57BL/6J mice.1,4 To reduce the frequency of barbering, we provided a multifaceted enrichment scheme to a mouse with severe facial barbering. Herein,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Sgai, M. G., Zaias, J. 2025. Quantitative assessment of facial barbering recovery in response to environmental enrichment: A case report. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 13(6) (November/December), 21-23.

Ethological scars? Exposure to multiple negative events over a lifespan may predict abnormal repetitive behaviour in laboratory-housed rhesus macaques

We tested the hypothesis that, in rhesus macaques used in biomedical research, the performance of abnormal repetitive behaviours (ARBs; e.g. pacing, hair-plucking, eye-poking) reflects the cumulative burden of negative experiences. For 240 macaques living in two facilities, we did this...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Mason, G., Coleman, K., McCowan, B. et al. 2026. Ethological scars? Exposure to multiple negative events over a lifespan may predict abnormal repetitive behaviour in laboratory-housed rhesus macaques. Biology Letters 22(3), 20250638.

A review of approaches for addressing oral stereotypic behavior in zoo-housed giraffes

Addressing the presence of stereotypies – repetitive, functionless behaviors – has been at the forefront of contemporary welfare research in zoos. Stereotypies present themselves in many different forms, dependent on the biology of a species, internal and external motivational factors,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Bollnow, M. M., Podraza, M. E., Miller, L. J. 2025. A review of approaches for addressing oral stereotypic behavior in zoo-housed giraffes. Zoo Biology 44(6), 535–543.

Environmental exposure to the common trunk of mammalian appeasing pheromone modulates social behavior and reduces fight wounds in male mice

Aggression among group-housed male laboratory mice poses significant challenges for animal welfare and scientific outcomes. Semiochemicals, such as mammalian appeasing pheromones, have shown potential in modulating social behaviors in various species. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Fuochi, S., Bienboire-Frosini, C., Descout, E. et al. 2025. Environmental exposure to the common trunk of mammalian appeasing pheromone modulates social behavior and reduces fight wounds in male mice. Animals 15(22).

Influence of group size on performance and tail biting in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails

This study investigated the effect of group size on tail damage and growth performance in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails. A total of 432 pigs were housed indoors on fully-slatted floors and assigned to either small (nine pigs per pen)...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Archer, C., Forster, S., Hilbrands, A. et al. 2026. Influence of group size on performance and tail biting in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails. Animal Welfare 35, e1.

The effect of rearing environment on feather pecking in young and adult laying hens

Although the rearing period has an important influence on the development of feather pecking in laying hens, few studies have quantified the risk factors operating on commercial farms during this time and identified their long-term impact. Our aim was to...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Gilani, A.-M., Knowles, T. G., Nicol, C. J. 2013. The effect of rearing environment on feather pecking in young and adult laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 148(1), 54–63.

Feather pecking in non-beak-trimmed and beak-trimmed laying hens on commercial farms with aviaries

Severe feather pecking (SFP) is a major animal welfare problem in layers. It results in pain and injuries in the affected animal. SFP is a behavioral disorder and should not be confused with aggressive pecking. The aim of our study...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Schwarzer, A., Plattner, C., Bergmann, S. et al. 2021. Feather pecking in non-beak-trimmed and beak-trimmed laying hens on commercial farms with aviaries. Animals 11(11).

Feather pecking and cannibalism in non-beak-trimmed laying hen flocks—Farmers’ perspectives

Pecking-related problems are common in intensive egg production, diminishing hen welfare and production performance, and negatively affecting sustainability. Beak trimming is a common practice to control these problems, but in Finland beak trimming is prohibited. Finnish egg producers have decades-long...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Kaukonen, E., Valros, A. 2019. Feather pecking and cannibalism in non-beak-trimmed laying hen flocks—Farmers’ perspectives Animals 9(2).

Cause and prevention of injurious pecking in chickens

This collection features three peer-reviewed literature reviews on feather-pecking in poultry. The first chapter describes the three main forms of injurious pecking (IP) in poultry: tissue pecking (TP), aggressive pecking (AP) and feather-pecking (FP). It discusses the origin of severe...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: van Staaveren, N., Harlander, A. 2021. Cause and prevention of injurious pecking in chickens. In N. van Staaveren, A. Harlander, D. D. McKeegan, et al. (Eds.), Instant Insights: Feather-pecking in poultry. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing.

Pain issues in poultry

This review highlights the possible pain experienced by layer and broiler poultry in modern husbandry conditions. Receptors which respond to noxous stimulation (nociceptors) have been identified and physiologically characterised in many different part of the body of the chicken including...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Gentle, M. J. 2011. Pain issues in poultry. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 135(3), 252–258.