Poultry slaughter is the largest-volume animal killing in human food production. The welfare of chickens, turkeys, and ducks at slaughter depends on stunning method, handling, and process quality — all of which vary significantly.
Poultry slaughter welfare involves the largest numbers of any animal welfare context. A 1% improvement in welfare outcomes at slaughter affects tens of millions of individuals in the UK alone. The welfare case for Controlled Atmosphere Killing over water bath stunning is strong — it eliminates the live inversion and shackling period, reduces handling stress, and provides a more reliable path to unconsciousness. The transition to CAK requires capital investment by processors and has been resisted on cost grounds. Regulatory mandates — requiring CAK for new facilities and establishing a transition timeline for existing facilities — represent the most direct policy lever available.