PECKSTONE™

Peckstone promotes natural pecking behavior and improves animal welfare.

Peckstone

The poultry industry can change the pecking order


York Ag is an authorized U.S. distributor of PECKStone™, a unique enrichment tool designed specifically to prevent and reduce abnormal pecking behavior and improve animal welfare — superior to other poultry pecking blocks.  

Pecking (or picking) is a common problem among domesticated chickens, turkeys, and other poultry. Birds will peck to forage for food, and they will peck one another to establish order or hierarchy or to relieve stress or boredom. Although it’s natural for chicken pecking to occur, it can lead to some very unnatural outcomes. Injury, mortality, and cannibalism are all possibilities as bully birds work to the top of the pecking order.

Even the best managed flock can suffer from persistent pecking. PECKStones are the easy, effective, and economical solution. Contact our team and let us collaborate on your poultry operation.

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PECKSTONE - POULTRY BLOCKS VIDEO

PECKING BEHAVIOR


Aggressive, abnormal pecking behavior is a common and serious welfare and economic threat to poultry farming.


PECKStone™ poultry blocks can help decrease this harmful behavior, thus increasing poultry productivity. Newer housing systems in poultry farming may increase feather pecking, incidences of skeletal injuries, and mortality1,2 – one of the key current issues in the poultry industry.

  • 55-80% of producers report signs of feather pecking—many want to know how to stop feather pecking in chickens
  • Preventing poultry behavioral disorders is ideal
  • Once abnormal pecking starts, it’s very difficult to stop
  • It is critical to diagnose and intervene immediately to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism in chickens

Environmental enrichment with poultry supplies and equipment can help:

  • Satisfy birds’ extremely strong desire to forage, scratch, and peck.
  • Minimize undesirable, harmful behavior, including aggression, feather pecking, cannibalism, flightiness, and distress.
  • Enhance animal welfare.

National and global poultry organizations have developed guidelines for poultry management that are increasingly focused on animal welfare and enrichment.

"Thus, the main practical strategy to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism is to provide and adequate substrate throughout life, from the start of the rearing period onwards."3
 

References:
1. Lay DC Jr., Fulton RM, Hester PY, et al. Hen welfare in different housing systems. Poult Sci. 2011;90:278-294.
2. Weeks CA, Nicol CJ. Behavioural needs, priorities and preferences of laying hens. Worlds Poult Sci J. 2006;62:296-307.
3. Blokhuis HJ, Wiepkema PR. Studies of feather pecking in poultry. Vet Q. 1998 Jan;20(1):6-9

 

PECKStone product and label photo

#1 Enrichment Tool in Europe

Now Available in the US

White hens pecking on PECKStone blocks

PECKSTONE™

Poultry Enrichment Tool

PECKSTONE™ BENEFITS


PECKStone is a unique enrichment tool designed specifically to prevent and reduce abnormal pecking behavior — superior to other poultry pecking blocks.

  • Provides an effective chicken pecking block target — redirects aggressive pecking behavior to prevent poultry cannibalism
  • Supports beak conditioning as it can be used in conjunction with beak trimming or as a tool to aid natural beak conditioning where trimming is not employed
  • Enhances animal welfare
  • Durable yet destructible — the ideal pecking target
  • All natural and organic
  • Vital salts and minerals incorporated, but no impact to overall nutrition/diet
  • Easy to incorporate into any operation
  • Available for any poultry operation: backyard or commercial flock, layers, pullets, broilers, breeders, and turkeys.
White egg layers surrounding a PECKStone pecking block

PECKSTONE™

Available at York Ag

HOW TO USE PECKSTONES


PECKStones are designed for different types of birds and operations and we commercialize 2 hardness levels: EXTRA HARD and DUO.

White Egg Layers and Breeders pecking at a PECKStone

LAYERS & BREEDERS


1. Type of PECKStone™:

  • EXTRA HARD or DUO, for durability and optimal beak conditioning

2. Use and Placement:

  • Use from initial bird placement, or add anytime
  • Remove the PECKStone from the plastic tub
  • Turn the tub upside down and place on litter or scratch area
  • Place the PECKStone on top of the tub

     
White broilers in commercial poultry house

PULLETS


1. Type of PECKStone™:

  • EXTRA HARD or DUO, for comfort and beak conditioning

2. Use and Placement:

  • Use from initial bird placement

  • Remove the PECKStone from the plastic tub

  • Place the PECKStone on litter or scratch area

  • PECKStone is also suitable for birds in the house 6 weeks or less
     

White turkeys in commercial turkey farm

TURKEYS


1. Type of PECKStone™:

  • EXTRA HARD or DUO, for tough conditions and maximum durability

2. Use and Placement:

  • Place PECKStones in the finishing barn prior to moving from the brooder chamber
  • Remove the PECKStone from the plastic tub
  • Turn the tub upside down and place on litter or scratch area
  • Place the PECKStone on top of the tub
  • PECKStone may be modified to hang

 

HOW TO PLACE PECKSTONES

PECKStone product label detail

STEP 1

Unpack and
select a location

Farmer removing green container of a PECKStone pecking block

STEP 2

Remove stone
from tub

Farmer a PECKStone pecking block on top of green container

STEP 3

Place stone
on top of tub

White egg layers pecking at a PECKStone block

STEP 4

Step away
and enjoy

PECKSTONE - PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS


Rate: Place 1 PECKStone™ for every 500 birds

Disposal: PECKStones can be left to naturally degrade and be destroyed by pecking. Residual stone remnants and empty bucket can be discarded with other waste from operation. The tub may be recycled.

Ingredients: calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, salt, magnesium oxide, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, wheat bran.

PECKStone has been found to be in compliance with the National Organic Program (NOP) Standards.

 

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
 

Description MIN MAX
Calcium (Ca) 21.0% 24.0%
Phosphorus (P) 4.0%  
Salt 7.5% 9.0%
Sodium (Na) 3.5% 4.5%
Magnesium (Mg) 2.5%  
PECKStone measurements and weight details

PECKSTONE™

Poultry Pecking Blocks

PECKSTONE LITERATURE

Brochure cover of PECKStone, poultry pecking blocks


View or download the PECKStone™ brochure with further information about the preferred poultry pecking block in the market. Contact York Ag today and let us collaborate on your feed and livestock operation.

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ABOUT PROTEKTA

York Ag's supplier PROTEKTA, is an animal nutrition and solutions company with operations throughout Canada and the United States. PROTEKTA is the partner of Vilofoss®, a European-based, global leader in the premix and animal nutrition sector, with more than 90 years of experience and presence in 60 markets worldwide. With 17 manufacturing plants in Europe and 375,000 tons of premixes produced, Vilofoss is one of the world's most productive, competitive, resource-efficient and sustainable agricultural production companies.

PECKStone™, the logo, and the tagline “Change the Pecking Order” are registered trademarks of Protekta Inc.

PROTEKTA