Most broiler chickens are reared entirely indoors; providing outdoor access improves welfare by allowing natural behaviours including foraging, dust-bathing, and exposure to natural light.
Outdoor access significantly expands the welfare opportunities available to broiler chickens. Natural light, fresh air, and the ability to forage and dust-bathe improve both physical and behavioural health. However, access alone is not sufficient — range quality (vegetation cover, shade, proximity to the shed) determines how many birds actually use it. Faster-growing breeds may have limited mobility and thus limited ability to benefit from outdoor ranges. Higher-welfare production requires both the provision of outdoor access and appropriate breed selection.