The majority of poultry farmers in Germany are currently participating in Housing Type 2 (‘Housing plus outdoor access’) as part of the Animal Welfare Initiative (ITW). From March 2026, farms rearing broiler chickens or turkeys for meat production will be able to apply for certification under Housing Form 3 (‘Initiative Tierwohl Fresh Air House’) and Housing Form 4 (‘Initiative Tierwohl Free Range’) under the ITW label. According to the ITW, the first audits are scheduled to take place from April. The requirements for the housing systems build on one another, meaning that farms operating under the higher housing systems must also comply with the criteria of the lower housing systems, and consequently with the basic criteria. Only one HF may be registered per site (with its own VVVO number). If a change is to be made between housing types, a change audit is required. Whilst there is still a recommendation regarding the level of the price premium for the previously known “Stall plus Platz”, there is no such recommendation for the “Animal Welfare Initiative Fresh Air House” and “Animal Welfare Initiative Free Range”. Any potential price premium must be negotiated independently.
This article aims to provide an initial overview of the various criteria, without claiming to be exhaustive (as of 05/2026). The full requirements can be found in the ITW criteria catalogue.
Basic requirements
If the animals are to be marketed under a higher husbandry category, the requirements for the lower husbandry categories must still be met as a prerequisite:
- Participation in the QS scheme
- Barn climate check
- Drinking water check
- Foot pad health
- Procurement of chicks
- Monitoring of diagnostic data
- Guidelines for early housing
- Training for livestock farmers
- Structuring the housing environment / Raised levels
- Lighting programme for houses with artificial lighting
- Day-old chicks and hatching eggs must come from hatcheries authorised to supply under the Quality Assurance scheme
Overview of criteria
The animals must be provided with non-modifiable structural elements (e.g. jumping platforms and perches) or modifiable structural elements (e.g. high-density/cubed bales) to help them structure their housing environment. Non-modifiable elements must be available up to 24 hours before the planned release. Modifiable elements may be cut open for the animals to manipulate from 48 hours before the planned release.
If high-density/cubed bales are used as raised platforms, they cannot simultaneously be counted as enrichment material. Raised platforms covered with bedding, which can be passed underneath at any time, may be included in the calculation of available space as additional usable pen area up to a maximum of 10% of the usable pen floor area.
The following tables provide an overview of the criteria that differ between the various housing systems.
Chicken rearing
| Criteria | Animal welfare programme | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Housing plus outdoor access | Open-air housing | Outdoor access | |
| Increased space | Max. 35 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three consecutive batches | -for houses with an outdoor climate area of at least 20% of the usable house floor area: 29 kg live weight per m² of usable house area, averaged over three batches-for houses with an outdoor climate area of at least 30% of the usable house floor area: 30 kg live weight per m² of usable house area, averaged over three batches | max. 25 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three batches |
| Housing | Housing | Housing with an outdoor climate area | Indoor housing with access to an outdoor run: from the 22nd day of life, or for at least one third of the animal’s lifetime, with at least 2.0 m² of contiguous area |
| Housing layout | From the time of housing: Raised levels in the housing, covering at least 5% of the housing floor area (equivalent to, for example, 2 m of perches per 45 m² of housing floor area or 1 high-density bale per 90 m² of housing floor area) | From the time of housing: Raised levels in the house, covering at least 5% of the house floor area (equivalent to, for example, 2 m of perches per 45 m² of house floor area or 1 high-density bale per 90 m² of house floor area) | From the time of housing: Elevated levels in the barn, covering at least 5% of the barn floor area (equivalent to, for example, 2 m of perches per 45 m² of barn floor area or 1 high-density bale per 90 m² of barn floor area) |
| Additional enrichment material | 1 pecking element or enrichment material per 100 m² of usable floor area or part thereof (sufficient for approx. 2000 birds) | 2 pecking elements or enrichment materials per 150 m² of usable floor area or part thereof (sufficient for approx. 1000 birds) | 2 pecking elements or enrichment materials per 150 m² of usable area or part thereof (sufficient for approx. 1,000 birds) |
| Feeding | Exclusively QS-approved or QS-recognised feed | GMO-free feed, or 100% of the feed raw materials used must have been grown and processed in the member states of the EU-27 | GMO-free feed; in addition, 20% of the feed raw materials must be grown by the farmer themselves or have been grown and processed in the member states of the EU-27 |
| Breeding lines | Robust and healthy breeding lines | Robust and healthy breeding lines, as per the list | Robust and healthy breeding lines, as per the list |
Table 1: Overview of criteria for participation in the three ITW animal welfare programmes for broiler rearing. (© Initiative Tierwohl)
Information on outdoor climate areas (AKB):
Outdoor climate areas for broilers must be located along the long side of the house, whether they are situated inside or outside the house. They must have an additional minimum usable area of 20% of the usable floor area of the house. The external walls of the outdoor climate area must allow for an adequate supply of fresh air and daylight. The vertical opening area of the air and light inlets must amount to at least 50% of the side walls of the outdoor climate area. The openings between the house and the outdoor climate area must be arranged appropriately and distributed regularly along the length of the house so that all animals have unrestricted access. The outdoor climate area must be accessible during the day from the 22nd day of life at the latest.
Turkey rearing
From 1 January 2026, only young turkeys from ITW-certified rearing establishments may be housed in turkey farming.
| Criteria | Animal welfare programme | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Housing plus space | Fresh air housing | Outdoor access | |
| Increased space | Cocks: max. 53 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three consecutive batches Hens: max. 48 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three consecutive batches | Cocks: max. 41 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three consecutive flocks Hens: max. 37 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three consecutive flocks | Cocks: max. 31 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three batches Hens: max. 28 kg live weight per m² of usable housing area, averaged over three batches |
| Housing | Housing | Housing with outdoor access | Housing with access to an outdoor run: from the 11th week of life, at least 4.0 m² of contiguous area |
| Housing structure | From transfer to the fattening barn: Modifiable structural elements: 1 square/round bale per 400 m² of barn floor area or more Or non-modifiable structural elements (tables, side elements): Minimum standing area of (contiguous) 1.85 m² per 400 m² of barn floor area or more | From transfer to the fattening shed: Modifiable structural elements: 1 square/round bale per 400 m² of shed floor area or more Or non-modifiable structural elements (tables, side elements): Minimum standing area of (contiguous) 1.85 m² per 400 m² of shed floor area | From transfer to the fattening barn: Modifiable structural elements: 1 square/round bale per 400 m² of barn floor area or more Or non-modifiable structural elements (tables, side elements): Minimum perching area of (contiguous) 1.85 m² per 400 m² of barn floor area or more |
| Additional enrichment material | 1 pecking element or enrichment material per 400 m² of usable area or part thereof | 2 pecking elements or enrichment materials per 400 m² of usable area or part thereof | 2 pecking elements or enrichment materials per 400 m² of usable area or part thereof |
| Feeding | Exclusively QS-approved or QS-recognised feed | GMO-free feed; alternatively, 100% of the feed raw materials used must originate from the EU | GMO-free feed; in addition, 20% of the feed raw materials must be grown by the farmer themselves or originate from the EU |
| Breeding lines | Robust and healthy breeding lines | Robust and healthy breeding lines Slow-growing breeding line (weight gain max. 110 g/day) or fast-growing hybrid, provided the minimum slaughter age of 140 days (cocks) or 100 days (hens) is observed | Robust and healthy breeding lines Slow-growing breeding line or fast-growing hybrid, provided the minimum slaughter age of 140 days (cocks) or 100 days (hens) is observed |
Table 2: Overview of criteria for participation in the three ITW animal welfare programmes for turkey fattening. (© Initiative Tierwohl)
Information on the outdoor climate area (AKB):
The vertical opening area of the air and light inlets in external walls must amount to at least 50% of the side walls of the outdoor climate area. The arrangement and design of openings to the outdoor climate area must be functionally appropriate.
To this end, a sufficient number of openings must be provided and distributed evenly along the length of the house. The total width of all openings must be at least 5% of the internal length of the house or the gable end. From the start of the 11th week of life at the latest, the AKB must be accessible to the animals during the day. Additional usable areas of the outdoor climate area (max. 30% of the barn’s floor area) that are counted as space must be available to the animals at all times (day and night) without restriction.
Sources
- www.initiative-tierwohl.de/tierhalter/gefluegelhalter/
- Registration opens for new animal welfare programmes – Animal Welfare Initiative
- 2025-08-14_Questionnaire-on-the-Animal-Welfare-Initiative-Poultry_ITW-Poultry-2025-1.pdf
- Handbook: Criteria Catalogue for Poultry_2025 to 2027
- List of slow-growing chicken breeds: haltungsform.de/wp-content/uploads/2026-03-03_Liste-an-langsam-wachsenden-Rassen-1.pdf