Ammonia from poultry litter causes respiratory damage, eye problems, and chronic pain in billions of chickens housed in intensive systems with inadequate ventilation.
Ammonia exposure causes chronic discomfort and measurable damage to respiratory and visual systems in affected birds. Eye damage from ammonia exposure causes pain and impaired vision. Respiratory irritation creates ongoing discomfort with every breath. The problem is largely preventable through adequate ventilation and litter management, but economic pressure to reduce heating costs by under-ventilating in cold weather creates conditions of chronic welfare compromise. Birds cannot escape the ammonia-laden environment. Unlike many farm animal welfare issues, ammonia exposure is directly measurable and its welfare effects are well-documented, making it one of the clearest cases for regulatory intervention with ventilation and litter management standards.