Farmed Broiler Chicken: Footpad Dermatitis Prevention

Footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens causes painful lesions on the feet of millions of birds and is directly linked to litter management practices in intensive production.

Key Facts

FPD affects an estimated 30-80% of broilers in poorly managed conventional systems
Lesions develop when wet, high-ammonia litter remains in contact with sensitive footpad skin
Severe FPD causes lameness, pain, and reduced access to food and water
FPD scores are used as a welfare indicator in EU monitoring programmes
Genetically fast-growing breeds spend more time resting and have higher FPD risk
Good litter management, ventilation, and lower stocking density dramatically reduce FPD incidence

Welfare Considerations

Footpad dermatitis is a preventable welfare problem caused by management decisions, not inevitable features of poultry production. Birds with severe FPD lesions experience constant pain while standing and walking on inflamed, ulcerated tissue. Lameness from FPD reduces feed access and social interaction, compounding welfare impacts. The fact that FPD rates vary dramatically between farms demonstrates that good management eliminates the problem. Consumer pressure through welfare labelling programmes has driven meaningful improvements in UK and European FPD rates.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken from schemes monitoring and publishing FPD scores
Support welfare labelling that makes FPD rates visible to consumers
Advocate for mandatory FPD monitoring and public reporting in all poultry production
Ask retailers about their supplier FPD standards and monitoring protocols
Support broiler breed reform to reduce fast-growth breeds prone to FPD