Farm Animal Welfare

Poultry Catching and Loading Welfare

Catching and loading broiler chickens for slaughter transport is one of the most stressful and injurious phases of their lives, causing fractures, bruising, and acute fear responses.

Key Facts

Manual catching involves grabbing chickens by their legs, causing high stress
Automated catching machines reduce human labor but can cause bruising
Up to 30% of broilers may sustain injuries during catching and loading operations
Catching typically occurs at night to reduce stress from visual stimulation
Welfare-focused catchers use two-hand holds to reduce leg injuries

Welfare Considerations

Catching and loading are high-intensity welfare events for chickens. The combination of rough handling, inversion, compression in crates, and darkness causes acute distress. Injuries sustained during catching contribute to dead-on-arrival and condemned carcass rates. Training catching crews in low-stress handling techniques and using appropriate equipment can substantially reduce injury rates.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare certifications that include catching and transport standards
Advocate for catching machine regulations that include injury rate auditing
Reduce chicken consumption or choose certified higher-welfare products
Follow research on low-stress catching techniques and equipment design