The catching and loading of chickens and turkeys for transport to slaughter is one of the most injury-prone and stressful stages of poultry production.
Poultry catching is a high-speed, physically demanding operation that creates conditions for widespread injury and distress. Birds handled carelessly during catching sustain leg and wing fractures, dislocations, and internal hemorrhaging — all welfare harms that occur in the final hours of life. Improved handling techniques, crew training, reduced lighting during catching, and appropriate catching equipment all reduce injury rates measurably. The scale of the welfare problem is enormous given billions of birds processed annually, making even marginal improvements in handling practices translate to enormous aggregate welfare gains.