The catching, loading, and transport of broiler chickens before slaughter is one of the least monitored but most welfare-significant phases of poultry production. Injuries, exposure, and stress during this phase affect millions of birds daily in the UK alone.
Manual catching at 2-3 AM in dark sheds causes acute fear in broilers: the sudden noise and handling of unfamiliar humans triggers escape responses and wing-flapping that causes fractures. Inverted carrying by one or two legs applies torque to joints not evolved for this loading. Overcrowded transport containers cause hyperthermia in warm weather and hypothermia in cold weather. Holding birds without feed or water for the pre-slaughter withdrawal period (typically 8-12 hours) causes hunger, thirst, and chronic stress. Welfare improvements include mechanical harvesters, reduced journey distances, and monitoring systems ensuring container temperatures remain within safe ranges.