Preparing the catching of broilers.
Date: 2018-04-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Subjects: animal welfare, poultry, protection of animals, transport of animals, veterinary legislation

Preparing the catching 
of broilers

Farmer

Transport preparation
‘What to do?’ 

P

P

72 hours before catching: book the
catching team and give clear guidance and
instructions

48 hours before catching:
inform the
transporter of the total number of animals
and order enough crates / containers /
vehicles for all birds, keep in mind climate
conditions

P

Do not fast broilers for more than 12
hours (including transport), and not less
than four hours (prior
to departure).
Provide water up to the start of catching

Ready for catching!

How do I check 
the ‘fitness’ to travel?

Check the birds before the catching team and
the driver arrives. Look out for broken bones,
severe difficulties in walking or breathing, or
other obvious clinical signs (e.g. emaciated
load unfit birds. You are
birds). Do not
responsible
euthanized
they
humanely by a trained person, without any
delay. Avoid the transport of wet broilers.

that

are

P

©Wageningen Livestock Research

General guidelines 
for catching

Catching Staff

P

‘What are 
good catching conditions?’ 

1. Prevent smothering at all times
2. Bring crates / containers as close as possible 

to the birds

3. Use blue light and minimal noise
4. Maintain all loading equipment and check 

before loading 

5. Wear appropriate clothes (e.g. dark coloured, 
clean overalls, hygiene caps, clean boots)
6. Make sure that your hands are clean and 

disinfected 

7. During catching, always check fitness and act 

accordingly!

1. The farmer is responsible for catching and
should be present to oversee the procedure
2. Catch with an experienced, well trained, well
equipped team of sufficient size. Do all catchers
have a certificate of competence? Even better!
3. Check birds’ fitness during catching and act

accordingly!

4. Move slowly and reduce noise; herd & catch

birds gently

5. Do not overload containers / crates and close
check and release

them carefully. Always
trapped body parts

6. Load the birds with care in an upright position.
Put birds lying on their backs upright again
7. Using dividers? Clean them before and after

catching

Catching Staff

P

Catching by hand – ‘What are good practices?’

1. Carefully catch and carry birds:

1. Always

support broilers under

the breast

/

abdominal region

2. Do not catch/carry broilers by the neck or wings
3. Make sure broilers do not hit against objects, like

the water system or perches

4. Make sure broilers do not sway or swing while

carrying.

2.

Ideally, broilers should be caught by two legs. If broilers
have to be carried, bodies have to be supported

3. Catch up to maximum 3 broilers (> 2 kg) per hand, or 5
broilers (< 2 kg). Use the other hand to support the
breast / abdominal regions

4. Make carrying distance short. Bring the containers /

crates as close to the broilers as possible

1.

2.

3.

P

Catching mechanically – ‘What are good practices?’

The ‘catching machine supervisor’
checks the belt and collecting speed
continuously during loading and adjusts
if necessary

container

operators

The
are
at
responsible for preventing overloading
and closing the crates
/ drawers,
despite the weight-system

The catching team needs to herd the
broilers on the catching machine
without crowding

PDF

ISBN: 978-92-79-81300-9

doi: 10.2875/274181

EW-BK-18-017-EN-N

l

a
r
u
t
l
u
c
i
r
g
A
C
T
G
©

l

a
r
u
t
l
u
c
i
r
g
A
C
T
G
©