Keeping turkeys in overcrowded and barren environments increases aggression between the birds, which leads to stress and injuries. To reduce aggression, turkeys are often kept in low lighting conditions to make them less active. However this can lead to eye abnormalities and blindness.

Feather-pecking and cannibalism are problems in intensive turkey farming. With very little in their environment to investigate and explore, turkey often begin to peck each other. To reduce injury from feather-pecking, when turkeys are a day old, part of their beaks are cut off. This is procedure is painful but performed without anaesthetic.

Slaughter

Turkeys often suffer broken legs and wings (and may even die) from rough handling during catching, crating and transportation to the slaughterhouse. When they arrive, they may suffer further pain and distress by being hung upside down on a shackle line by their feet before being slaughtered.

Turkeys struggle in their shackles before being stunned (typically via electrical water bath), which can cause bone dislocations and fractures. In the UK, the law allows them to be hung for up to 3 minutes before stunning, causing considerable suffering. In some countries, this may be longer. Flapping their wings while on the shackle line means they sometimestouch the electrified bath before their heads enter the water, causing painful electric shocks.

Following stunning, to render birds unconscious to pain, the birds are killed by cutting a combination of veins/arteries in their necks. However some may not be stunned properly and regain consciousness before their throats are cut. If the main arteries are not effectively severed they may even be conscious as they are plunged into the scalding tank.

During winter, turkeys are often killed in smaller ‘seasonal’ slaughterhouses or in on-farm facilities. This is sometimes done by neck dislocation, which may be carried out by untrained staff and without pre-stunning. In some instances, they may have their throats cut without pre-stunning. This is illegal in the EU, though exceptions are made for religious slaughter.

Turkeys are sometimes plucked within seconds of neck dislocation when they may still be alive and conscious.

There are alternative methods of turkey rearing and slaughter that cause less suffering.

Higher welfare alternatives for turkeys

There is no turkey-specific legislation protecting turkeys in the EU, but there are legal marketing standards and assurance schemes that improve turkey welfare in less intensive systems.

Higher welfare indoor systems

Turkeys are reared in barns with a more space than in intensive systems. Perches and straw bales are often provided, which encourages exercise and exploration. It also allows them to rest above the ground, which is more natural for turkeys and can reduce feather-pecking.

These systems usually have better air and litter quality. This reduces the risk of lameness, foot sores and eye problems.

Free-range and organic systems