Farm Animals

Farmed Poultry Catching and Loading Welfare

The catching and loading of broiler chickens for transport to slaughter is a high-intensity welfare event with many opportunities for injury and stress.

Key Facts

Broilers are caught by hand in low-light conditions to reduce panic
Machine catchers cause fewer injuries than manual catching in some studies
Loading density in transport crates is a major welfare determinant
Wing and leg injuries during catching are common and often unreported

Welfare Considerations

Catching and loading causes acute stress and physical injury in broiler chickens. Wing dislocations, broken legs, and bruising occur frequently during manual catching. The brief duration of catching does not reduce its welfare significance — severe acute events matter regardless of length.

What You Can Do

Support poultry certifications that include catching and loading welfare standards
Advocate for catching quality monitoring in poultry welfare audits
Back research into machine catching methods that reduce injury rates
Choose certified products from supply chains with documented catching welfare standards