Poultry Stunning Methods and Welfare

Stunning methods used before poultry slaughter vary widely in their effectiveness and welfare implications, with significant differences between systems.

Key Facts

Water-bath electrical stunning is the most common poultry stunning method globally and is controversial for welfare reasons
Birds hung upside down on shackles before stunning experience acute stress and pain from wing fractures and dislocations
Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) using gas mixtures allows birds to remain in their transport containers before stunning
CO2 gas causes aversion and distress in birds; nitrogen and argon mixtures or low-O2 gas phases cause less suffering
A proportion of birds in water-bath systems are ineffectively stunned, regaining consciousness before slaughter

Welfare Considerations

Pre-slaughter handling and stunning is a significant welfare bottleneck in poultry production. The shackling process alone causes measurable suffering, and ineffective stunning means birds may experience the slaughter process consciously. Whole-flock CAS systems with appropriate gas compositions represent a meaningful welfare improvement, though they require greater investment from producers.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken and turkey products from producers using Controlled Atmosphere Stunning where available
Ask retailers and food service companies about the stunning methods in their poultry supply chains
Support campaigns for legislative requirements for effective pre-slaughter stunning with verification
Reduce overall poultry consumption and redirect spending toward higher-welfare certified products