Yes, chickens have access to fresh air in our modern chicken houses. These houses are enclosed to protect them from extreme weather, disease and predators and are equipped with ventilation and air quality monitors. In the houses, large fans draw in fresh air to control temperature, keep the floor dry and reduce ammonia, all steps to ensure a safe, clean and healthy environment for our birds.
Perdue Farms is dedicated to the highest standards of animal care, and that includes constantly monitoring and adjusting our raising practices to ensure we’re providing a safe, enriching environment for each stage of the bird’s life. We share industry concerns about the continued emphasis on larger birds and are studying the impact of increased bird activity and chicken nutrition on stronger skeletal and muscle system development for our birds. We are also experimenting with slower-growing breeds, including heritage breeds and remain committed to exploring and advancing new standards in raising practices.
Our modern chicken houses have space and ventilation systems that foster a safe, healthy environment for our birds. The houses are kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter while the ventilation systems keep the floor dry and consistently cycle in fresh air. We have implemented enrichments in many of our poultry houses, including ramps and hide boxes, and are researching elevated platforms, all to allow chickens to act like chickens.
All our chickens are fed an all-veggie diet and any of our organic birds are raised on a balanced diet without any GMOs or antibiotics. While birds are roaming in pasture, they are free to graze and pursue natural animal behaviors, including eating grass and bugs or insects.
It’s important to protect the birds from injury when they are transported. Our birds are transported in modules, which ensure their safety and provide a natural calming effect by keeping them close to each other. At the plant, fans and water misters keep the birds comfortable on hot summer days. We limit the amount of time the birds are exposed to the elements through strict rules on how quickly trailers must be unloaded after arriving at the harvest plant.
The coops used to transport chickens to the plant are specially designed to protect the birds from injury while on the truck. Keeping the birds close together provides a natural calming effect (they are, after all, birds of a feather) and offers further protection while the truck is in motion. During warm weather, the air blowing through the crates keeps the birds cool; coverings protect the birds in cold weather. At the plant, fans and water misters keep the birds comfortable on hot summer days. We limit the amount of time the birds are exposed to the elements through strict rules on how quickly trailers must be unloaded after arriving at the processing plant.
Our poultry welfare program includes strict procedures, welfare training for associates, regular auditing, video monitoring of areas where live poultry are handled, and USDA inspectors. Our USDA Process Verified Program provides an additional level of assurance, with documentation and reporting that is audited by the USDA.
We are committed and actively transitioning to using a multi-stage, dual-gas technology Controlled Atmosphere Stunning (CAS) system to induce insensibility with minimal trauma. We implemented our first CAS chicken system in Milford, Delaware in 2017 and installed a new system in 2024 at our Dillon, South Carolina harvest plant. Our Washington, Indiana turkey operation has also been fitted with a CAS system since 2012.
We follow National Chicken Council Animal Welfare Guidelines for Broilers as it relates to travel. However, 75% of our broiler chickens are loaded, transported and unloaded under 8 hours.
100% of our turkey are CAS stunned.
100% of our turkeys are CAS stunned.
We follow National Turkey Federation Standards of Conduct and Animal Care Guidelines in the area of these practices.
Learn about the steps we're taking to reach our goal of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.
