Game birds raised for shooting are often kept in conditions that fall outside standard poultry welfare regulations, creating a welfare blind spot for millions of birds annually.
Game bird farming occupies a regulatory grey area that exempts millions of birds from the welfare protections applied to commercial poultry. The rearing conditions — high density, artificial environments, beak trimming — mirror those of intensive poultry farming without the scrutiny. The release phase introduces additional welfare concerns: birds poorly adapted to wild conditions face high predation and starvation mortality before the shooting season begins. The welfare case for including game birds within the scope of poultry welfare legislation is strong, and closing this gap would provide immediate protection to one of the least regulated populations of farmed birds.