Poultry Catching and Loading Welfare

The catching and loading of broiler chickens and spent laying hens at the end of production is among the highest-risk welfare periods in poultry farming.

Key Facts

Manual catching by leg causes acute fear and pain from struggling and inversion
Mechanical catching systems cause injuries in 10-30% of birds in some studies
Catching typically occurs at night under dim lighting to reduce bird activity and fear
Bones are frequently fractured during catching, with prevalence up to 30% in some flocks
Journey time from farm to slaughter plant should be minimised to reduce transport stress

Welfare Considerations

Poultry catching at end of production involves acute stress including capture, inversion, and forced confinement in crates. Manual catching by multiple legs simultaneously causes pain and risk of dislocation and fracture. Mechanical catching machines reduce labour costs but may cause comparable injury rates. Training of catching teams in welfare-compliant handling significantly reduces injury and fear responses. Journey time from catching to slaughter should be minimised and temperature controlled throughout.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory catching training requirements for all poultry catching teams
Advocate for catching injury monitoring and reporting in poultry slaughter plants
Choose poultry from producers auditing and improving catching welfare outcomes
Support research into low-stress catching and loading systems for poultry