Lighting programs in broiler production affect bird activity, health, and welfare in ways that are often invisible to consumers but well-documented in welfare science.
Lighting programs represent one of the most direct ways producers can improve broiler welfare with minimal production cost. The evidence that continuous lighting causes sleep deprivation and circadian disruption in chickens is robust, yet the practice persists in many operations because the welfare cost is invisible to consumers and enforcement is lax. Dark period provision is a basic welfare requirement that should be non-negotiable in any credible welfare certification scheme. Beyond dark periods, light spectrum choices can meaningfully reduce aggressive behavior and improve litter quality outcomes. The connection between lighting, activity, litter conditions, and hock burn prevalence demonstrates how multiple welfare factors are interconnected in broiler systems — improving one often improves others.