Lighting programs in poultry facilities significantly affect chicken welfare through effects on activity patterns, sleep, development, and the expression of natural behaviors throughout the production cycle.
Chicken lighting welfare has received increasing attention as research demonstrates that light quality, duration, and intensity affect not just production outcomes but fundamental behavioral expression and sleep quality. Chickens denied adequate darkness cannot complete normal rest cycles and show cumulative welfare compromise. Natural spectrum lighting that includes UV wavelengths allows chickens to perceive their environment more completely, enabling natural color recognition and foraging behavior that white light suppresses. Welfare-centered lighting design integrates sleep requirements, behavioral expression, and production needs rather than optimizing light management for growth alone.