Slaughter methods for poultry have major welfare implications for billions of birds annually. Controlled atmosphere killing and improved stunning standards offer significant improvements.
Poultry slaughter is a massive-scale welfare issue. The most common methods — live shackling followed by electrical water bath stunning — cause significant distress through the handling and inversion process before unconsciousness is achieved. Birds that receive inadequate electrical stunning regain consciousness before slaughter. Controlled atmosphere systems that expose birds to inert gases or carbon dioxide can achieve unconsciousness before any handling stress, and are increasingly adopted in higher-welfare supply chains. The transition to better slaughter methods requires capital investment but is technically and economically feasible for large commercial processors. Consumer demand for certified higher-welfare poultry creates market incentives.