Farm Animals

Farmed Chicken Ammonia Exposure

High ammonia levels in poultry houses cause respiratory damage, eye disease, and chronic welfare problems in intensively farmed chickens.

Key Facts

Ammonia in poultry housing originates from bacterial breakdown of faeces and urine in litter
Concentrations above 25 parts per million cause detectable harm to respiratory tissue in chickens
UK regulations set a maximum of 20 ppm but this is not always consistently enforced
Chronic ammonia exposure causes hock burns, breast blisters, and corneal damage in broiler chickens
Litter quality management is the primary tool for controlling ammonia levels

Welfare Considerations

Chronic ammonia exposure causes persistent irritation of the eyes, throat, and lungs. Eye lesions from ammonia damage are painful and can progress to blindness. Hock burns from sitting in ammoniated litter cause contact dermatitis and secondary infection. The pain and impaired vision associated with these conditions significantly reduce welfare. Monitoring and maintaining ammonia below harmful thresholds is a basic welfare obligation in poultry production.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products with welfare certifications requiring litter quality standards
Support regulatory requirements for ammonia monitoring in all poultry facilities
Advocate for independent welfare auditing that includes air quality assessment
Reduce poultry consumption to lower demand from facilities with inadequate ammonia control
Support research into litter management strategies that maintain low ammonia levels