The Incidence of Breast Blisters as Related to the Amount of Breast Feathering

Abstract

Since some broiler areas are reporting a relatively high incidence of breast blisters, some observations made recently at the University of Missouri may point to some basic research needed in finding a solution of the breast blister problem. Observations were made on a broiler strain of White Plymouth Rock cockerels brooded in batteries for 4 weeks and then placed on built-up litter in 10′ × 12′ pens. The chicks were hatched May 14, 1956; and the first observations were made when the broilers were 12 weeks of age. Table 1 shows that at that time there was a higher incidence of breast blisters in the poorly feathered birds than in the birds having better breast coverage. It was reasoned that if feather covering of the breast was related to breast blisters then by plucking the breast of every other bird selected at random and leaving them with the naturally feathered …