Livestock

Catching and Handling Welfare in Poultry Production

Evidence-based welfare guide to catching and handling broiler chickens — a high-welfare-risk process at end of production.

Key Facts

Catching broiler chickens before transport is a high-stress and high-injury-risk process
Manual catching by the legs causes wing and leg injuries in a significant proportion of birds
Fractures, dislocations, haemorrhage and death are documented catching injuries
Automated catching machines can reduce injury rates but must be properly calibrated
Crating density after catching affects bird welfare before loading
Stockperson training and incentive structures affect catching quality
Welfare during catching is difficult to monitor — it typically occurs at night
Video monitoring of catching operations has been proposed to improve welfare accountability

Welfare Significance

Catching is one of the most welfare-critical processes in poultry production. It occurs at the end of a bird's life, is difficult to supervise, and involves handling large numbers of animals under time pressure. Improvements in catching technique, automation, training and monitoring can substantially reduce the injury and distress burden on millions of birds.

What You Can Do

Advocate for mandatory video monitoring of poultry catching operations
Support investment in better-calibrated automated catching machines
Require catching welfare audits as part of supply chain standards
Train all catching operatives in low-stress handling techniques