Providing effective environmental enrichment to broiler chickens is one of the most accessible welfare improvements available in commercial production, reducing inactivity, improving leg health, and supporting natural behaviours.
The welfare of broiler chickens in barren, high-density sheds is characterised by chronic inactivity and impaired ability to express natural behaviours — foraging, dustbathing, perching, and exploration. Inactive birds lying on wet litter develop contact dermatitis, hock burns, and worsening musculoskeletal problems. Enrichment breaks this cycle: chickens given opportunities to perch, climb, scratch, and forage show better leg health, lower hock burn scores, lower mortality rates, and more time engaged in positive behaviours. The evidence base for broiler enrichment is robust and growing. The welfare gains are achievable at modest cost, and regulatory and market pressure is increasingly requiring enrichment as a baseline standard.