Farm Animals

Farmed Chicken Lairage Welfare: Pre-Slaughter Conditions

Pre-slaughter lairage conditions significantly affect poultry welfare in the final hours of their lives.

Key Facts

Broilers in lairage experience thermal stress, fear, and social disruption
Lairage time beyond 2-4 hours increases stress hormones and muscle damage
Water misting in hot weather reduces heat stress mortality in lairage
Lighting conditions and handling during lairage affect stress significantly

Welfare Considerations

The final hours before slaughter are among the most stressful in a broiler's life. Appropriate lairage time, temperature management, and handling protocols directly reduce suffering in the pre-slaughter period. These are achievable improvements with modest cost.

What You Can Do

Support welfare at slaughter standards that include lairage requirements
Advocate for maximum lairage time limits in poultry welfare legislation
Choose chicken from plants with documented welfare at slaughter performance