Scientific research into environmental enrichment for commercially farmed chickens reveals significant opportunities to improve welfare through low-cost modifications to standard production systems.
Broiler chickens in standard commercial systems live in barren, overcrowded environments with few opportunities to express natural behaviors including foraging, dustbathing, perching, and exploration. Research consistently shows that even minimal enrichment — straw bales, perches, natural light — produces measurable welfare benefits including reduced fear, better leg health, and more natural behavior. For laying hens, enriched colony or free-range systems provide greater welfare benefits but require consumers and retailers willing to pay the modest premium. The scientific evidence now clearly supports the conclusion that standard barren broiler housing represents a significant welfare failure, and that cost-effective enrichment options exist that producers could implement.