Farm Animals

Poultry Catching and Loading Welfare

The catching and loading of poultry for transport to slaughter is a high-risk welfare point causing injuries. Evidence-based catching methods and equipment reduce injury rates significantly.

Key Facts

Conventional manual catching of broilers by their legs causes wing and leg injuries in a proportion of birds
Mechanical catching machines offer consistent handling quality when properly calibrated and operated
Catching in darkness reduces stress responses as birds cannot see and remain calmer
Loading density and crate design determine welfare during transport after catching
Breast blisters, wing fractures and dislocations are welfare indicators captured at post-mortem inspection

Welfare Considerations

The catching and loading phase is among the most stressful in the life of commercial poultry. Manual catching by legs causes wing injuries, fractures and dislocations. Welfare outcome data from post-mortem inspection reveals the scale of catching-related injury. Certification schemes that audit catching methods and reject suppliers with high injury rates create market incentives for welfare-protective catching practices.

What You Can Do

Support chicken welfare certification schemes that include catching and transport welfare requirements
Ask food companies about their requirements for catching welfare assessment in their supply chains
Support research into catching method comparisons and welfare outcome measurement
Reduce chicken consumption or shift to certified higher-welfare sources with transport welfare standards
Engage with poultry industry bodies about catching welfare improvement programs