Poor litter management in broiler chicken houses allows ammonia buildup that causes eye damage, respiratory disease, and footpad lesions, making litter quality a critical broiler welfare determinant.
Broilers living on wet, high-ammonia litter experience multiple simultaneous welfare harms. Ammonia causes corneal ulceration, tearing, and potential blindness in affected birds. Chronic respiratory irritation predisposes to infections. Contact dermatitis on feet and hocks causes pain during locomotion, which already compromised by fast-growth genetics. Because broilers spend the majority of their time lying, exposure to litter conditions is near-continuous. Litter management is one of the most cost-effective welfare interventions in broiler production as it simultaneously addresses foot health, eye health, air quality, and respiratory disease. Ventilation system maintenance and drinker line inspection routines prevent the conditions that cause welfare harm.