Transitional housing systems for laying hens and broilers that improve on battery or barren housing while moving toward higher welfare standards represent important but incomplete progress.
Transitional housing improvements for chickens represent genuine welfare progress even when they fall short of ideal standards. Moving from barren concrete floors to systems with straw bales, natural light, and perches meaningfully increases broiler activity and reduces the lameness that afflicts fast-growing birds in barren conditions. However, transitional systems still typically use fast-growing breeds that suffer from metabolic and skeletal problems regardless of housing quality. The real welfare gains come from combining housing improvements with slower-growing genetics. Auditing compliance is essential because on-paper commitments do not always translate to farm practice. Consumer demand, retailer requirements, and regulatory standards that specify both genetic and housing criteria simultaneously will drive the most comprehensive welfare improvements for the billions of chickens raised annually.