Litter quality in broiler chicken houses directly affects footpad health, ammonia exposure, disease prevalence, and movement - making litter management one of the highest-impact practical welfare interventions available.
Litter quality is one of the most direct and measurable welfare determinants in broiler production. Wet, ammonia-saturated litter causes the footpad lesions that affect the majority of conventionally produced chickens - lesions that cause pain with every step. Ammonia levels in poorly managed houses cause eye irritation and respiratory discomfort across the entire flock. The practical intervention - adequate ventilation, appropriate stocking density, moisture management, and litter replacement protocols - is well understood and achievable. The gap between known best practice and common practice represents a welfare failure that welfare certification programs and informed consumer pressure can address.