Air quality in broiler houses, particularly ammonia levels from litter, causes significant eye and respiratory damage to chickens and is one of the most impactful environmental welfare factors.
Ammonia in broiler houses causes chronic eye and respiratory damage to chickens who live their entire lives in that environment. Eye lesions from keratoconjunctivitis cause pain and impaired vision. Respiratory damage reduces immune capacity and growth performance. Hock burns from litter contact indicate both litter quality problems and ammonia-related welfare failure. Addressing ammonia requires appropriate stocking density to reduce litter wetting, active ventilation management, dry litter amendments, and regular monitoring. Welfare certification schemes that assess eye health, footpad dermatitis, and hock burns at slaughter create accountability for in-house air quality.