Billions of poultry are transported annually to slaughter in conditions that cause significant welfare harm. Understanding the regulations and where they fall short helps guide advocacy.
Poultry transport causes welfare harm through thermal stress, physical injury during loading and unloading, deprivation of food and water, and the fear of handling and unfamiliar environments. In hot weather, ventilation failure on a stationary lorry can cause mass mortality within 30 minutes. In cold conditions, insufficient protection causes hypothermia. Crate density during transport — often at the legal maximum — limits movement and causes injuries. The journey to slaughter is often the most welfare-compromising stage in poultry production precisely because it receives the least management attention.