Chicken Broiler Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment for broiler chickens improves welfare by enabling natural behaviors including perching, dustbathing and foraging. Evidence supports enrichment as a meaningful welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Standard commercial broiler sheds offer minimal environmental complexity for up to 50,000 birds
Enrichment items including perches, straw bales and pecking objects increase activity and reduce leg problems
Broilers with access to perches show lower rates of gait abnormalities and better leg health
Outdoor access under Better Chicken Commitment standards allows expression of natural foraging behavior
Light programs including higher light intensity and outdoor access increase activity beneficial for skeletal health

Welfare Considerations

Broiler chickens in barren high-density sheds show low activity levels, poor leg health and limited behavioral repertoire. Enrichment studies consistently show broilers are motivated to use perches, dustbathing material and outdoor access when provided. Even simple enrichment in conventional sheds improves welfare. Better Chicken Commitment standards representing significant welfare improvements are achievable at modest cost increase.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken meeting Better Chicken Commitment standards with enriched housing and outdoor access
Support campaigns urging major food companies to adopt Better Chicken Commitment pledges
Ask fast food chains and supermarkets about their progress toward higher-welfare chicken commitments
Reduce chicken consumption or choose plant-based alternatives to reduce demand
Support research into enrichment approaches that improve broiler welfare within existing systems