Enrichment and outdoor access programs for broiler chickens address welfare deficits in conventional indoor production by providing opportunities for natural behaviors and improved physical health.
Broiler chickens in conventional production have severely restricted ability to express natural behaviors including foraging, dustbathing, perching, and locomotion. Fast-growing genetics creates additional welfare burdens through leg disorders, cardiovascular disease, and difficulty moving. Enrichment provision and outdoor access address some behavioral needs but are most effective when combined with slower-growing breeds that have better physical capacity to use them. Higher welfare standards requiring both better genetics and richer environments offer the most meaningful improvement in broiler welfare.