Chicken Catching and Handling Welfare at Farm

The catching and loading of broiler chickens at the end of the growing cycle is a major source of acute welfare harm, with fractures and bruising common under commercial pressures.

Key Facts

Around 1 billion broiler chickens are slaughtered in the UK annually, all requiring catching and transport
Manual catching involves teams grabbing multiple birds by the legs and placing them in transport crates
Fractures and dislocations occur in 1-4% of birds under some commercial catching operations
Mechanical catching machines reduce handling but can increase bruising and crowding stress
Depopulation at night in dim light reduces activity levels and stress during catching operations

Welfare Considerations

The catching phase is one of the most intense acute welfare challenges for broiler chickens. Pain and fear during catching can persist during transport and affect stunning and slaughter outcomes. Training standards for catching teams vary significantly and catching speed directly influences injury rates. Welfare-focused operations invest in staff training, mechanical assistance, and appropriate lighting conditions to reduce harm. Catching during cooler nighttime conditions reduces thermal stress particularly for fast-growing birds prone to heat intolerance.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare certification that includes standards for catching and handling
Advocate for mandatory training requirements for all poultry catching teams
Buy chicken from producers with lower stocking density, reducing physical demands of catching
Support research into mechanical catching technology that reduces injury rates
Ask retailers and processors about their standards for catching operations at farm