Lighting Regimes for Broiler Chickens

Lighting conditions in broiler houses significantly affect the welfare, health, and behaviour of chickens, with continuous low-light regimes linked to poor welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

EU regulations require broilers to have a minimum 6-hour dark period per day
Continuous bright light suppresses natural activity cycles and is associated with eye damage
Dim light reduces activity and aggression but also reduces natural behaviour expression
Blue-green light spectra allow chickens to see more natural wavelengths than standard incandescent lighting
Natural light access is associated with improved leg health and more active chickens

Welfare Considerations

Lighting management in broiler houses affects welfare in ways that are not immediately visible to consumers. Continuous bright lighting was historically used to maximise feed intake and growth rate, causing photostimulated eye damage and preventing natural sleep-wake cycles. Continuous dim lighting suppresses activity including feeding competition, but also suppresses natural foraging and exploration behaviours. The optimal welfare solution involves providing natural or varied light spectra, adequate dark periods for rest, and sufficient light intensity for natural behaviour expression during active periods.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken from farms certified as meeting enhanced lighting welfare standards
Advocate for natural light access requirements in broiler welfare standards
Support research into lighting effects on broiler welfare and health outcomes
Ask retailers about the lighting standards in their chicken supply chains
Raise awareness about lighting as an overlooked but significant broiler welfare issue