Effective stunning before slaughter is the cornerstone of humane poultry killing. Understanding stunning methods and their welfare implications matters for millions of birds.
Poultry stunning is a welfare critical control point where small technical decisions affect the experience of billions of animals. Electrical water bath stunning at correct parameters renders birds unconscious immediately; incorrect settings lead to immobilisation without unconsciousness — a state in which birds can feel everything but cannot move. Controlled atmosphere stunning avoids the shackling stress of water bath systems and achieves deep unconsciousness before birds enter the slaughter line. The welfare case for CAS is strong but adoption is slow due to cost. Retailers and producers committed to genuine welfare improvement should mandate minimum stunning standards and conduct regular third-party auditing of slaughter plant settings and compliance.