Research into environmental enrichment for broiler chickens demonstrates significant welfare benefits from simple additions including straw bales, perches, and pecking substrates, with industry adoption still limited by cost concerns.
Broiler enrichment research consistently demonstrates that simple, low-cost additions significantly improve welfare indicators including activity levels, leg health, and behavioral diversity. The contrast between the evidence base showing achievable welfare improvement and the slow adoption by industry reflects the tension between welfare costs and the marginal cost of enrichment provision. Certification schemes that require enrichment provisions have demonstrated that welfare improvements are practically implementable. Consumer and retailer pressure for welfare improvements has been more effective than regulatory requirements in many markets.