Providing perches, elevated platforms, and climbing structures to poultry meets behavioral needs and reduces injuries. These simple additions deliver meaningful welfare improvement.
Perches and elevated structures address fundamental behavioral needs that cannot be met in barren floor systems. Poultry evolved to roost at height, and the instinct to seek elevated resting places persists in commercial birds. Providing perches or platforms reduces fearfulness, improves bone density through exercise, and gives birds options to escape social conflict from more dominant flock members. Research shows that broiler chickens with access to elevated structures voluntarily use them, particularly during evening hours, and show lower stress indicators. The welfare benefit is achievable at modest cost, and several higher-welfare certification schemes now require enrichment provision as a standard condition.