Broiler Litter Management and Welfare

Litter quality in broiler houses directly affects chicken welfare through hock burn, footpad dermatitis, and respiratory health.

Key Facts

Over 95% of UK broilers are raised on litter in large indoor houses
Poor litter conditions are associated with hock burn affecting up to 80% of birds in some flocks
Ammonia from wet litter causes respiratory damage and eye irritation in broilers
Good litter management including moisture control significantly reduces hock burn prevalence
Litter quality monitoring through hock burn scoring is used in many welfare assessment schemes

Welfare Considerations

Broiler litter welfare is one of the clearest examples of how husbandry management translates directly into welfare outcomes. Wet, compacted litter creates ammonia-rich environments that damage respiratory tissue and cause contact burns on hocks and footpads. Hock burns are painful, persistent injuries affecting millions of chickens globally. The solutions are well understood: appropriate stocking density, ventilation management, and litter refreshment. Monitoring hock burn prevalence is now used as a welfare indicator in certification schemes - a good example of using animal-based measures to drive management improvement.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products certified to schemes that monitor and limit hock burn prevalence
Support welfare certification that uses hock burn scoring as a performance metric
Advocate for maximum stocking densities that allow adequate litter management
Support research into litter management systems that maintain welfare in indoor housing
Engage poultry producers about their litter management and hock burn monitoring practices