Transitional broiler housing systems that add minimal enrichment to conventional barns demonstrate measurable welfare improvements that can be implemented across the industry at modest cost.
The welfare gap between conventional and enriched conventional broiler housing is substantial even without introducing outdoor access or slower-growing breeds. Environmental monotony in conventional barns produces broilers that rarely explore, dustbathe, or use elevated resting positions. Enrichment additions that cost a fraction of a cent per bird produce measurable increases in behavioral diversity and reductions in fear. The transition to enriched conventional housing represents an accessible first step for producers who cannot yet implement full Better Chicken Commitment standards, while reducing suffering for the billions of broilers in conventional systems globally. Incremental improvement at scale can have enormous aggregate welfare impact.