Ammonia buildup from litter in poultry houses is a major but preventable welfare problem causing respiratory disease, eye damage, and footpad dermatitis in billions of farmed chickens.
Ammonia-related welfare problems in chicken housing affect hundreds of billions of birds globally and are largely preventable. Footpad dermatitis — contact burns from wet ammonia-laden litter — causes pain that affects movement, rest posture, and feeding behavior. Chronic respiratory irritation from ammonia predisposes birds to bacterial respiratory infections. Eye damage from high ammonia concentrations can cause blindness. The management tools to prevent these problems are well understood: ventilation, appropriate stocking density, litter moisture management, and strategic use of litter amendments. The barrier is economic pressure to maintain maximum production in existing infrastructure rather than invest in optimal litter management. Welfare audit systems that include mandatory footpad dermatitis scoring create accountability.