Live broiler catching involves handling billions of chickens annually under time pressure and physical conditions that make gentle handling difficult and injury rates high.
Catching is one of the most welfare-significant events in a broiler chicken life. The combination of time pressure, darkness, and the physical demands of handling thousands of birds leads to wing and leg injuries that cause immediate pain and may persist through the remaining hours of transport to slaughter. Mechanical harvesters have mixed welfare evidence — they reduce leg catching stress but introduce other injury modes. Slower catching speeds, better training, and welfare-based payment incentives rather than pure speed bonuses could significantly reduce catching injury rates.