Smothering, where hens pile on top of each other causing suffocation, is a significant welfare and mortality problem in cage-free laying hen systems that requires careful management to prevent.
Smothering events represent acute welfare emergencies where multiple hens die by suffocation in a matter of minutes. The trigger events - sudden noise, light changes, predator presence - cause panic that sends birds rushing toward shelter in corners, creating fatal piling. Individual hens at the bottom of a pile experience progressive suffocation with no means of escape. The management response requires understanding hen behaviour and lighting physiology: gradual light dimming rather than sudden extinction, dim night lights to prevent total darkness panic, and pullet rearing protocols that establish appropriate roosting behaviour before adult housing. Smothering is largely preventable through good stockmanship and system design, making it a welfare problem with clear management solutions.