Litter quality in broiler chicken farms has a profound impact on welfare. Poor litter conditions cause painful foot pad dermatitis, hock burns, and breast blisters that affect a majority of birds in some flocks.
Litter quality is one of the most controllable welfare determinants in broiler chicken farming. Wet, ammonia-laden litter creates the chemical environment for painful foot pad lesions that affect millions of birds. The burning sensation from ammonia contact causes birds to spend less time at feeders and drinkers, compounding the welfare impact. Severe FPD leads to secondary infection that causes systemic illness. Because FPD is largely preventable through litter management and stocking density control, its widespread prevalence represents a failure of welfare standards rather than an inherent limitation of broiler farming. Mandatory FPD monitoring with scoring thresholds has driven improvement in countries where it is implemented.