The transport of chickens from farms to slaughter involves welfare challenges from catching and crating through to unloading, with research documenting injury, temperature stress, and fear in the process.
Chicken transport begins with catching - a terrifying process where workers grab birds by their legs in semi-darkness and load them into crates. Wing fractures and dislocations are common during this process. Crated birds experience the fear of confinement with unfamiliar birds, motion sickness from vehicle movement, temperature extremes if ventilation is inadequate, and the sounds and smells of an unfamiliar environment. Birds with pre-existing leg disorders from rapid growth cannot stand comfortably in crates, experiencing additional pain during transport. The millions of birds that die during transport represent the most extreme welfare outcome; many more suffer injury and stress that, while non-fatal, represents genuine harm at enormous scale.