Poultry Catching and Handling Welfare

Catching and loading poultry for transport to slaughter is one of the most acute welfare challenges in the poultry industry, with high rates of injury and mortality.

Key Facts

Manual catching of broiler chickens involves grabbing birds by their legs and carrying multiple birds in each hand
Catching-related injuries include wing fractures, dislocations, bruising, and heart failure from acute stress
Mechanical harvesting machines exist and may reduce some injuries but introduce other risks
Transport crates must be loaded at appropriate densities to prevent crushing and thermal stress
Pre-slaughter mortality and dead-on-arrival rates are key welfare indicators in poultry supply chains

Welfare Considerations

Catching is one of the most stressful experiences in a broiler chicken's life. Birds are chased, grabbed, inverted, and carried in ways that cause fear, pain, and physiological shock. Fractures and dislocations are common. The industry has historically tolerated this suffering because catching happens at the end of life, but the welfare impact is real and measurable. Better training for catchers, reduced stocking densities for easier access, and investment in welfare-friendly mechanical solutions all offer improvement opportunities.

What You Can Do

Support certification standards that require catcher training and injury rate monitoring
Advocate for mandatory reporting of dead-on-arrival rates and post-mortem injury findings
Choose poultry from certified supply chains with documented catching welfare standards
Support research into mechanical catching systems that reduce bird injury
Reduce poultry consumption to lower demand for intensive production systems