Poultry Transport Welfare: The Journey to Slaughter

The transport of poultry to slaughter is associated with significant injury, distress, and mortality. Improving conditions during this often-overlooked phase of production is a priority for welfare science.

Key Facts

Broiler chickens are typically transported to slaughter at 5-7 weeks of age, having never experienced outdoor conditions
Catching — the process of capturing birds for loading — causes wing fractures, bruising, and acute distress
Transport mortality in poultry can reach 0.1-0.5% of transported birds — representing millions of animals annually
Cold, heat, dehydration, crowding, and vibration are all significant stressors during transport
EU regulations limit transport duration and require minimum standards for temperature and ventilation
Mechanical catching systems have been developed to reduce injury compared to manual catching
Lairage periods — holding at the slaughterhouse before slaughter — add additional time without food or water

Welfare Considerations

Poultry transport involves a cascade of welfare insults in rapid succession: catching, crating, vehicle vibration, temperature extremes, and arrival at an unfamiliar and stressful slaughter environment. Birds that have never experienced handling, outdoor weather, or physical challenge are particularly vulnerable. Despite regulatory frameworks, compliance and enforcement are inconsistent. Welfare during transport is often invisible to consumers but represents a significant component of total lifetime welfare for farmed poultry.

What You Can Do

Choose poultry certified under welfare schemes that include transport welfare auditing requirements
Support campaigns for mandatory maximum transport duration limits for poultry
Advocate for mandatory mechanical catching systems to replace manual catching methods
Ask food companies about their transport welfare standards and monitoring protocols
Reduce poultry consumption or shift to plant-based alternatives where welfare improvement is slow
Support research into on-farm slaughter as an alternative that eliminates transport welfare harms entirely