Poultry Catching at Slaughter: A Neglected Welfare Issue

The catching and loading of broiler chickens for transport to slaughter is one of the highest-risk welfare stages in poultry production. Improving catching methods and training significantly reduces suffering.

Key Facts

In the UK, approximately one billion broiler chickens are caught and transported for slaughter annually
Manual catching causes bruising, wing fractures, and dislocations in a significant proportion of birds
Catching typically occurs at night to reduce bird activity but still causes significant stress
Mechanical harvesters are used on some large farms and show mixed welfare outcomes
Birds caught upside-down by one leg — a common position — experience distress from inversion

Welfare Considerations

Catching is uniquely stressful because it involves sudden capture, inversion, and handling by birds that may have had minimal human contact during rearing. The darkness of catching operations reduces some visible distress but does not eliminate stress. Inexperienced or rough catchers cause significantly more bruising and injury. The end point — loading into transport crates — involves further rough handling and social disruption. Catching welfare is neglected because it occurs out of sight, at night, and at a point where birds will be slaughtered within hours, reducing perceived incentive for welfare investment.

What You Can Do

Support welfare standards that require catching team training and monitoring
Advocate for CCTV requirements at catching operations as well as slaughterhouses
Choose higher welfare chicken products from producers with catching welfare requirements
Donate to organisations monitoring poultry welfare across the entire production cycle
Engage with retailers about whether their supply chain welfare standards include catching