The quality of litter in broiler sheds — the bedding material underfoot — has profound effects on bird health and welfare, yet remains poorly regulated and inconsistently assessed.
Standing on wet litter is like having feet in caustic material constantly — ammonia from faeces burns skin causing lesions that become infected. Hock burns from prolonged lying on wet litter cause further chronic pain. These conditions affect the majority of commercially raised chickens globally. Simple litter management improvements can dramatically reduce prevalence.