Transport Stress in Poultry: The Welfare Cost of Moving Billions of Birds

The transport of poultry from farms to slaughterhouses is one of the most welfare-significant phases of the broiler and laying hen production cycle. Billions of birds experience this process annually with limited welfare protection.

Key Facts

Catching and crating of broilers at the end of their lives is associated with high rates of injury, bruising and fractures — catching by hand causes fewer injuries than mechanical catching in most studies
Birds endure thermal extremes, dehydration and dust exposure during transport journeys that may last many hours under current regulations
Poultry transport mortality — birds dead on arrival at slaughter — is a measurable welfare indicator that varies significantly between operators and seasons
UK regulations permit poultry to be transported for up to 12 hours without feed or water in some circumstances — welfare scientists consider this excessive
Catching crew training and monitoring, journey time reduction and vehicle design improvements are the most evidence-based welfare interventions for poultry transport

Welfare Considerations

Poultry transport welfare affects more individual animals than almost any other welfare intervention point — the scale of the broiler industry means billions of birds pass through this process annually. Injury during catching, thermal stress during transport, and mortality on arrival are all measurable welfare failures that vary significantly based on catching team skill, vehicle design, journey management and regulatory standards. Consumer choices for welfare-certified poultry, retailer procurement requirements, and regulatory reform all drive improvement in what remains one of the least visible phases of the food system.

What You Can Do

Choose poultry products with welfare certification that addresses catching and transport standards
Advocate for maximum journey time reductions and thermal management requirements for poultry transport
Support campaigns for poultry catching crew training requirements and mechanical catching welfare assessment
Engage with retailers about their poultry transport welfare standards in supply chain procurement
Learn about catching and transport as a welfare phase when researching poultry production systems