Farmed Animals

Heat Stress in Commercial Poultry Welfare

Rising temperatures pose increasing welfare risks to commercial poultry, particularly broilers and laying hens in dense housing.

Key Facts

Poultry have no sweat glands and can only cool themselves through panting
Broilers are particularly vulnerable to heat stress due to their rapid growth and large muscle mass
Mortality rates during heat events can reach 5-10 percent in poorly ventilated sheds
Tunnel ventilation and evaporative cooling significantly reduce heat stress mortality
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of heat stress events in poultry

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress causes acute suffering and death in poultry as well as chronic welfare impairment through reduced feed intake, impaired immunity, and behavioural restriction. Inadequate ventilation and climate management in poultry housing is a growing welfare concern as temperatures rise globally.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards with mandatory heat stress management requirements
Advocate for building standards that require adequate ventilation in all poultry housing
Choose poultry products from certified farms with documented heat management protocols
Support research into heat-tolerant poultry breeds and housing designs