Guidance on dealing with sick and injured poultry

^{As of November 2025}

Hannah Kanwischer, Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture
Constanze Lüntzel, Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture

Inga Garrelfs, LLH Hesse
Dr. Jens Hübel, LAVG Brandenburg
Christiane Keppler, LLH Hesse
Dr. Birgit Spindler, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover

Every poultry farmer aims to maintain a healthy, robust flock that is resistant to disease. Preventive measures, such as farm-specific vaccination programmes and feeding regimes, play a vital role in keeping flocks healthy, alongside adherence to strict biosecurity measures. Nevertheless, it is not possible to completely prevent individual animals or the entire flock from falling ill, which requires appropriate care and the implementation of professional measures. Under animal welfare law, the appropriate care of sick or injured animals is regulated in Section 1 of the Animal Welfare Act (TierSchG), which stipulates that no one may cause pain, suffering or harm to an animal without reasonable cause. The Animal Welfare Farm Animal Husbandry Ordinance (TierSchNutztV) specifies this obligation by requiring that anyone keeping farm animals must ensure that – where necessary – immediate measures are taken for the treatment, isolation or the killing of sick or injured animals are taken without delay (Section 4(1)(3) TierSchNutztV).

Identifying sick and injured animals, as well as deciding which measures are necessary for each animal in individual cases, requires a high degree of decision-making competence. To this end, the animal keeper or caretaker must possess sufficient specialist knowledge and skills.

This poster is intended to provide a concise decision-making guide on the topic of handling sick and injured poultry. In Germany, a certificate of competence is required for the keeping of poultry, as well as for the humane emergency slaughter of broiler chickens.

View the poster "Decision-making guide to the humane handling of sick and injured poultry"