Lairage — holding chickens at the slaughterhouse before slaughter — can either reduce or compound transport stress depending on conditions and duration.
Lairage management represents a final opportunity to reduce or compound the cumulative stress chickens have experienced through the catching and transport chain. Poorly managed lairage — hot or cold temperatures, long waits, rough handling during unloading — adds to an already high stress burden. Well-managed lairage with appropriate temperature, minimal handling, and efficient throughput can reduce stress before slaughter. The welfare objective is to minimize total stress across the catching, transport, and lairage chain as an integrated system.