Slaughter methods for poultry significantly affect welfare at the critical end of life. Understanding current practices and improvements helps advocates and consumers support better standards.
Poultry slaughter welfare is a high-impact issue given the enormous numbers of birds killed. Current water bath stunning systems have documented welfare deficiencies including inadequate stunning of some birds and distress during shackling. Controlled atmosphere killing systems that expose birds to gases causing unconsciousness before any handling can address both shackling distress and stunning reliability. The transition to higher-welfare systems requires capital investment that consumer and regulatory pressure can drive. Religious slaughter without prior stunning causes measurable suffering and represents an area where dialogue between animal welfare science and religious communities continues.