Litter quality in poultry houses directly affects foot, leg, and skin health. Poor litter management causes widespread, preventable welfare harms that best-practice systems avoid.
Poultry litter quality sits at the intersection of housing management and welfare outcomes in a way that makes it an excellent welfare indicator. Litter that is wet, caked, or high in ammonia causes direct welfare harm through contact dermatitis — hock burn and footpad lesions are painful conditions that affect a large proportion of birds in poorly managed systems. The lesions involve loss of the skin's protective layer, exposure of sensitive underlying tissue, and in severe cases, deep tissue infection. Birds with severe footpad lesions show altered gait, reduced movement, and reduced feeding that indicate ongoing pain. The same litter that causes these welfare harms, when well-managed to be dry and friable, provides substrate for dust bathing and foraging — converting a welfare problem into a welfare resource. The management levers are well understood: nipple drinker management to prevent spillage, adequate ventilation to remove moisture, appropriate stocking density, and supplementary litter additions when needed.