Commercial turkey farming often provides inadequate space allowances that compromise movement, natural behavior, and welfare for billions of birds annually.
Space restriction in turkeys compounds the welfare challenges of selective breeding for rapid growth. Birds cannot perform natural behaviors like foraging, dust-bathing, and wing-stretching. Studies show enriched environments with straw bales and pecking objects significantly reduce aggression and improve behavioral diversity. Space alone does not ensure welfare without appropriate litter, light and enrichment.