Broiler Chicken Welfare in the Cold Chain: Transport, Catching, and Lairage

The cold chain phase — from farm to slaughter — is among the most stressful periods in a broiler chicken's life. Catching, crating, transport, and lairage all carry significant welfare risks for billions of birds annually.

Key Facts

Approximately 70 billion chickens are slaughtered globally each year, nearly all transported from farms to abattoirs
Catching crews manually catch broilers by their legs, inverting them — a posture that causes acute pain and stress
Transport mortality in broilers ranges from 0.05% to over 0.5%, representing millions of birds annually
Thermal stress during transport — both heat and cold — is a leading cause of death and suffering
Lairage (holding at the slaughterhouse) can last hours, during which birds receive no food or water
Mechanical catching machines reduce some injuries but can cause their own wing and leg damage

Welfare Considerations

Cold chain welfare for broiler chickens encompasses the entire journey from farm loading to slaughter, a period lasting 4–12 hours during which birds experience multiple stressors. Manual catching causes bruising, dislocations, and fractures — particularly significant in fast-growing heavy breeds already compromised by skeletal weakness. Transport in stacked crates exposes birds to temperature extremes, vibration, and social disruption. Thermal regulation of transport vehicles is a high-impact intervention — temperature-controlled trucks reduce in-transit mortality significantly. Lairage duration should be minimised and water misting used during hot weather. Mechanical catching, while imperfect, reduces average handling stress per bird compared to rushed manual crews. Higher-welfare certifications (RSPCA Assured, GAP, etc.) include transport standards as part of chain-of-custody auditing.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products certified to welfare schemes that include transport and lairage standards
Support legislation mandating maximum transport durations and thermal standards for poultry vehicles
Reduce chicken consumption to decrease demand pressure on high-throughput, lower-welfare production
Advocate for investment in mobile slaughter units that reduce transport distances for broiler flocks