Poultry Welfare and Controlled Atmosphere Killing

Whole-house controlled atmosphere killing of poultry flocks raises welfare questions distinct from individual slaughter.

Key Facts

Whole-house killing of laying hen flocks at end of lay is common practice using CO2 or other gases
CO2 killing causes aversive respiratory distress before loss of consciousness in poultry
High-expansion foam flooding is used in some biosecurity emergencies and causes welfare concerns
Argon and nitrogen-based systems cause less aversive loss of consciousness than CO2 in poultry
Welfare reform advocates for less aversive gas mixtures and faster-acting systems

Welfare Considerations

Whole-house killing of poultry flocks occurs during disease outbreaks and at end of production lay, affecting billions of birds globally. The welfare implications of different killing methods vary significantly — CO2 causes respiratory distress before unconsciousness, while nitrogen and argon cause more rapid insensibility with less aversive experience. Advocating for less aversive systems in whole-house killing represents meaningful welfare improvement for large numbers of birds.

What You Can Do

Support advocacy for less aversive controlled atmosphere systems in poultry whole-house killing
Engage with animal welfare organizations working on emergency depopulation welfare standards
Advocate for regulatory requirements specifying less aversive gas mixtures for poultry killing
Reduce poultry consumption to reduce demand driving scale of industrial poultry production
Follow the developing OIE welfare standards for poultry killing and emergency depopulation