Commercial turkeys are among the least studied and most welfare-compromised farmed animals, with most living in barren environments that prevent all natural behaviours.
Turkeys in commercial production suffer from a combination of physical limitations caused by selective breeding and environmental deprivation. Their exaggerated breast muscle growth makes normal walking painful and restricts mating to artificial insemination in most commercial breeds. In barren sheds, the natural drive to explore, forage, and interact becomes redirected into injurious pecking at penmates. The welfare literature on turkeys is thin compared to chickens and pigs, partly because of lower public interest and partly because turkeys are more difficult research subjects. What evidence exists consistently shows that enrichment — bale material, hanging objects, perches, and increased space — reduces aggression and improves movement, demonstrating that current systems fall well short of meeting their needs.