Frequently Asked Chicken Questions
Do your chickens get fresh air?
Yes. Even though the modern chicken house is fully enclosed, it provides the birds with fresh air. The large fans at the back of the house draw fresh air through the house to control temperature, keep the floor dry and reduce ammonia. In addition, there are numerous vents throughout the structure. As part of our Poultry Care program, we also monitor the air quality in the chicken houses, and our flock advisors are equipped air quality monitors that measure ammonia levels.
Is it true that chickens are bred to grow so fast that their legs can’t support their weight so they can’t get to food or water?
We use the same commercial chicken breeds as other companies. These are hybrid crosses that provide a meatier chicken with strong legs. Modern poultry houses that provide a comfortable environment for each stage of the chicken's life, and nutritionally balanced, high-protein diets are the biggest difference between chickens today and those of a few decades ago. At the same time, we share concerns about the continued emphasis on bigger chickens. Across all our flocks, our chickens grow about nine percent slower than the average. We’re studying how increasing bird activity and improving chicken nutrition can help the chickens develop stronger skeletal and muscle systems, and we’re also experimenting with slower-growing breeds, including heritage breeds.
What is it like inside the chicken house?
Most people are surprised. In summer, it is cool; and warm in winter. The ventilation system keeps the floor dry, and brings in fresh air. The chickens are healthy and calm, eating, drinking, resting or moving about as they wish.
Aren't chickens omnivores? Shouldn't they be outside eating bugs, worms and grass?
Just like other domesticated animals, the modern chicken has come a long way from its jungle forebears. Today's broilers are bred to do well in chicken houses, and our feeds ensure a balanced diet without using the inexpensive animal by-products common in most commercial chicken feed. (We've also found this diet results in a better-tasting PERDUE® chicken.)
Do the chickens live their lives crowded together?
No. It's important to remember that the chickens arrive as just-hatched chicks, and "grow into" the space in the chicken house. The house doesn't reach its full "density" until the last few days when the chickens reach market size. Even then, they have enough room to move about freely and access food and water without competition.
Why are chickens packed tight into crates when they're shipped to the 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.
How can you be sure that the chickens don't suffer when they go into the 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.
How are the birds harvested?
We remain committed to moving all our harvest operations from using electrical shocks to “stun” birds before harvest, 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 have begun installation of a second system and expect it to be operational in Dillon, South Carolina in November 2024. We installed CAS at our Washington, Indiana, turkey operation in 2012.
Does the company have a clear position on the avoidance of long-distance live transportation of broiler chickens?
We followNational Chicken Council Animal Welfare Guidelines for Broilersas it relates to travel. However, 75% of our broiler chickens are loaded, transported and unloaded under 8 hours.
Frequently Asked Turkey Questions
Does Perdue have a clear position on the avoidance of meat from animals that have not been subjected to pre-slaughter stunning, or meat from animals that have not been rendered insensible.
100% of our turkey are CAS stunned.
Does Perdue report on the proportion of animals in its supply chain that are ineffectively stunned?
100% of our turkeys are CAS stunned.
Does Perdue have a clear position on the avoidance of routine mutilation of turkeys?
We followNational Turkey Federation Standards of Conduct and Animal Care Guidelinesin the area of these practices.
