Commercial turkeys have been bred for such extreme size that most cannot reproduce naturally or walk without pain. Welfare problems are endemic and intensify around peak demand periods.
Commercial turkeys share the welfare crisis of fast-growing broiler chickens — selective breeding has created animals whose growth rates their bodies cannot sustain. Lameness is so prevalent it is treated as normal rather than exceptional. Many turkeys spend their final weeks in significant pain from skeletal disorders, unable to walk normally to access feed and water. Cardiac deaths — birds simply keeling over from hearts unable to support their own weight — occur at rates measured in millions per year globally. The welfare case is identical to that for broilers: transitioning to slower-growing breeds, reducing stocking densities, and providing enrichment would dramatically reduce this suffering with existing technical knowledge.