Industrial turkey production involves genetic selection, housing, and management practices that create endemic welfare problems for billions of birds annually.
Turkey welfare problems are structurally identical to broiler chicken welfare problems but receive less public attention because turkeys are consumed in smaller quantities. The genetics of commercial turkeys represent an extreme case of production-driven breeding that has eliminated natural reproductive ability. Birds that cannot stand comfortably, breathe normally, or reproduce without human intervention are living with compromised welfare as a baseline condition.