Free range poultry systems are marketed as high welfare alternatives, but the actual welfare outcomes depend critically on outdoor range quality, stocking density, housing design, and management practices.
Free range poultry welfare varies enormously between farms. Well-designed free range systems with high quality range, good indoor enrichment, and managed stocking density provide genuine welfare improvements over intensive cage systems. Poorly managed free range systems may have similar welfare outcomes to conventional production if birds never access the range. The visual appeal of outdoor access to consumers does not automatically translate to improved welfare for individual birds. Welfare assessments that measure actual range use and indoor welfare indicators provide more meaningful information than label claims.