While the variety of enrichments available may appear complex, creating an effective enrichment protocol for broiler chickens is a straightforward process, ideally framed around three guiding principles: A-B-C.

To be truly effective, enrichments must be accessible to broiler chickens, especially as their mobility often declines with age. If these chickens cannot physically engage with the resources provided, they will not reap any benefits.

As broilers mature, they tend to become more front-heavy, and issues with gait and leg health can further restrict their mobility. Consequently, they may struggle to utilize enrichments that require more active participation, such as traditional perches.

A practical solution is to implement platform-type perches featuring a broad, flat surface with ramps to facilitate easy access.

Despite mobility challenges, broilers still have a natural inclination to perch and roost on elevated surfaces. Providing them with these opportunities can substantially enhance their welfare.

Moreover, accessibility encompasses the proper quantity and strategic distribution of enrichments throughout the living space. Limited resources can lead to overcrowding, making it difficult for some birds to access them.

For example, dust bathing is a socially contagious behavior in broilers; if one bird observes another dust bathing, it is more likely to participate in the same behavior. Thus, dust baths should be large enough to accommodate multiple birds simultaneously.

To improve overall accessibility, producers should ensure that dust baths, huts, platforms, and pecking items are strategically placed throughout the housing environment.

Effective enrichments cater to the natural behavioral motivations of broiler chickens, allowing them to express instinctual behaviors that are crucial for their well-being.

Broilers have inherited a variety of survival-driven motivations from their junglefowl ancestors. These include not only physiological needs like hunger and thirst but also behavioral desires such as roosting, dust bathing, exploring, socializing, and playing.

Failure to satisfy these natural drives can lead to negative welfare states, manifesting as depression, boredom, or frustration. Therefore, enabling broilers to engage in natural behaviors can alleviate these issues and promote positive welfare.

Enrichments that facilitate natural behaviors may include platforms for roosting, dust baths for bathing and foraging, temporary access to new spaces for exploration, and items that stimulate pecking or exploration.

An effective enrichment protocol should encourage producers to “think like a chicken,” considering how birds would ideally spend their time in a natural setting.

When it comes to enriching broiler chickens, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The most successful enrichment protocols address a multitude of behavioral needs while also offering a variety of choices for the birds involved.

Providing a range of options not only fulfills their natural motivations but also allows chickens to exercise agency and choose their experiences, which is a key aspect of a quality life.

Furthermore, the thrill of exploring something new—whether it be a different color, texture, or shape—can also serve as a rewarding experience for these birds.

An ideal enrichment environment should therefore feature a blend of larger enrichments (such as platforms and diverse bedding materials) for crucial behaviors like roosting and dust bathing, alongside smaller items (like balls, CDs, mirrors, strings, or cardboard boxes) that encourage exploration and play.

Implementing enrichments can significantly contribute to better welfare for broiler chickens. Beyond the evident behavioral benefits, these enrichments can yield indirect health advantages, such as reduced contact dermatitis, improved mobility, and enhanced bone strength compared to chickens raised without such conditions.

Producers eager to enhance the welfare of their flocks should keep the ABCs in mind—Accessibility, Behavior, and Complexity. This foundational approach can pave the way for healthier and happier birds with relatively simple adaptations to existing husbandry practices.

Source: Lancaster Farming