Farm Animal Welfare

Farmed Poultry Catching and Loading Systems

Mechanical harvesting systems for broiler chickens reduce the injuries and stress caused by manual catching while improving worker conditions.

Key Facts

Mechanical harvesters use rotating paddles to gently sweep birds onto conveyors
Manual catching causes wing fractures in 1 to 3 percent of birds
Mechanical systems process large flocks more quickly reducing total handling time
Worker injury rates are also significantly lower with mechanical harvesting

Welfare Considerations

Manual catching of broiler chickens by leg or wing causes acute pain from fractures and dislocations. The panic of chasing and catching causes extreme fear responses. Mechanical harvesting systems that move birds gently onto conveyors without grabbing dramatically reduce injuries and fear responses while maintaining commercial throughput. The economic case for adoption is strong, and welfare standards increasingly require or incentivize mechanical harvesting.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken from producers using mechanical harvesting systems
Support certification schemes that require improved catching protocols
Advocate for industry investment in harvesting technology
Reduce chicken consumption or choose plant-based alternatives