Lighting Regimes and Broiler Chicken Welfare

Lighting management in broiler houses profoundly affects chicken welfare, with evidence that appropriate light cycles reduce lameness, improve rest, and support natural behaviour expression.

Key Facts

Conventional broiler houses often use near-continuous light (23 hours) to maximise feed intake and growth rate
The EU requires minimum 6 hours darkness per day with at least one uninterrupted 4-hour dark period in broiler housing
Natural light access significantly reduces fearfulness and improves broiler welfare indicators
Dim lighting used to reduce activity and aggression also reduces the ability of birds to see and access food and water
Higher light intensity (greater than 20 lux) allows better visual discrimination and reduces collision injuries
Blue-green light spectra are increasingly used as poultry can perceive a wider spectrum than humans
Providing perches and platforms with appropriate lighting allows expression of natural roosting behaviour

Welfare Considerations

Broiler chickens under near-continuous dim lighting experience disrupted circadian rhythms, reduced activity, and inability to engage in natural light-dependent behaviours. Evidence shows that appropriate lighting cycles with adequate intensity reduce lameness, improve leg health, decrease fearfulness, and improve sleep quality. The welfare compromise between maximising growth through lighting manipulation and allowing natural behaviour expression is a fundamental ethical issue in intensive poultry production. Higher-welfare standards prioritise bird welfare over maximum growth efficiency.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products certified to standards requiring natural light access or appropriate lighting regimes
Support welfare standards that mandate minimum dark periods and adequate light intensity in broiler housing
Learn about how lighting manipulation in intensive poultry farming affects bird welfare
Advocate for EU-level lighting requirements to be adopted as minimum global standards
Engage retailers and food companies on their commitments to broiler housing environment standards