Poultry Litter Management: A Foundation of Broiler Welfare

The quality of litter in broiler houses directly affects foot health, respiratory health, and behavioral opportunities. Good litter management is a practical and evidence-based welfare intervention.

Key Facts

Hock burns and foot pad dermatitis, caused by contact with wet or contaminated litter, affect up to 80% of conventionally housed broilers
Foot pad dermatitis is a painful condition in which ammonia from litter burns through the skin of the foot
Litter moisture above 30% significantly increases rates of both hock burns and respiratory disease from ammonia emissions
Good litter management including regular monitoring, addition of fresh material, and appropriate ventilation dramatically reduces injury rates
Litter quality is a key welfare indicator assessed in broiler welfare audits under certification schemes
Deep litter systems using wood shavings or straw provide better welfare outcomes than thin caked litter
The relationship between litter quality, ammonia levels, and broiler welfare is among the most well-documented in poultry science
Producers who invest in litter quality often see economic returns through reduced mortality and medication costs

Welfare Considerations

Litter management is unglamorous but foundational for broiler welfare. When litter is wet, compacted, and high in ammonia, the birds standing on it develop painful lesions, breathe damaging gases, and cannot engage in the dustbathing behaviors that litter should enable. When litter is dry, well-maintained, and appropriately deep, it becomes an enrichment resource rather than a welfare hazard. The technology and knowledge for good litter management exist and are affordable. What is needed is regulatory and market incentives that make poor litter management costly rather than acceptable.

What You Can Do

Choose broiler products certified under welfare schemes that include litter quality standards and auditing
Support food companies requiring litter quality monitoring as part of their supply chain welfare commitments
Advocate for regulatory foot pad dermatitis scoring as a mandatory welfare indicator for all commercial broiler flocks
Support research on cost-effective litter management techniques applicable across different scales of broiler production
Ask your grocery store about the welfare standards applied to broiler products, including litter quality requirements
Reduce broiler consumption or shift to higher-welfare certified alternatives where standard products are unavailable