Slaughter is the final welfare moment for billions of chickens annually, and the method of stunning and killing has profound implications for suffering at death.
Slaughter is among the most welfare-significant moments in a farmed chicken life, yet it has historically received less welfare attention than housing and disease management. The transition from waterbath to gas stunning systems eliminates multiple welfare problems simultaneously: live shackling stress, pre-stun electric shocks, and the risk of inadequate stun depth. However, gas stunning systems themselves vary in welfare quality depending on gas mixture and concentration ramp rates. The welfare science is clear that controlled atmosphere systems using appropriate gas mixtures deliver better welfare outcomes than conventional waterbath stunning, yet industry transition has been slow due to capital costs.