Farm Animals

Poultry Catching and Transport Welfare

The catching, crating, and transport of poultry before slaughter is among the most stressful and injury-prone periods in a broiler chicken life, causing fear, pain, and sometimes death.

Key Facts

Manual catching of broilers causes bone fractures in an estimated 20-30% of birds
Mechanical harvesting reduces fracture rates but can cause other injuries
Broilers are typically transported without food or water for up to 12 hours
Temperature extremes during transport are a major cause of mortality
Stunning quality at slaughter is significantly affected by transport stress levels

Welfare Considerations

The hours before slaughter — catching, crating, and transport — are among the most welfare-compromising experiences in a broiler chicken life. The stress of being grabbed, inverted, and confined after a life spent on the ground causes extreme fear responses and physical injury. Training catching crews, improving crate design, and minimizing transport duration and temperature extremes can substantially reduce suffering at this critical stage.

What You Can Do

Support poultry welfare standards that include catching and transport requirements
Ask retailers about transport welfare practices in their supply chains
Advocate for maximum journey time limits for poultry
Support mechanical harvesting research that minimizes injury rates
Reduce poultry consumption or choose welfare-certified products