Litter quality in broiler chicken houses directly affects footpad health, respiratory welfare, and overall bird comfort. Managing litter is one of the most impactful on-farm welfare interventions.
Litter quality is both a welfare indicator and a welfare determinant. Birds with severe FPD experience chronic pain from open contact sores on their feet that are in constant contact with wet ammonia-rich litter. Hock burns cause similar lesions on the hocks from prolonged lying on wet litter. Breast blisters develop where the sternum contacts litter during rest. These are not cosmetic issues — they are painful skin conditions affecting birds throughout the growing period. Good litter management through ventilation, drinker management, stocking density reduction, and timely de-caking prevents most of these welfare problems at relatively low cost.