Improving the welfare of chickens in transportation in Malawi 

Year: 2023

Madeline Nyamwanza 
Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA), Malawi 

Research, Travel & Training Grant - £10,035

In 2021, a survey conducted in Lilongwe, Malawi, revealed that approximately 600 vendors were transporting chickens in inhumane conditions, often hanging them upside down from bicycle handles, resulting in broken wings, legs, heatstroke, and painful deaths. In response to these findings, our project, initiated in 2022, has focused on improving chicken welfare during transportation. With the support of the Humane Slaughter Association, which began backing our efforts in late 2023, we have aimed to introduce and promote the use of chicken-friendly crates to address these severe welfare issues. 

We successfully produced and distributed 350 bamboo chicken crates to vendors who completed our comprehensive training program. These crates are designed to transport chickens more humanely and efficiently, reflecting a significant positive change in vendor behaviour. 

Our training program reached 350 vendors and covered essential topics such as chicken welfare and the Five Animal Freedoms, chicken behaviour and needs, animal welfare laws, and the use of chicken-friendly crates. The lessons were crucial because vendors are responsible for the care of chickens while awaiting sale, a period that can range from a few days to two weeks. Some vendors are also chicken farmers, further highlighting the importance of comprehensive welfare education. 

Despite our successes, we faced challenges. The current crate design does not protect chickens from adverse weather conditions like rain and excessive sunlight. Although we initially recommended adding a thin layer of muslin cloth for protection, this would have significantly increased production costs. Instead, we encouraged vendors to use straw as insulation, but this practice has not been consistently implemented. To address this, we are continuing to work with vendors to ensure regular use and replacement of straw. In addition to crate distribution, we trained 10 local artisans in crate-making. Unfortunately, we did not reach our target of 20 artisans due to difficulties in recruiting suitable candidates. We also distributed bamboo seedlings to farmers in the locations we worked in in order to promote sustainable use of bamboo. 

This project has garnered interest from more vendors eager to learn about chicken welfare and join the program. Our efforts have been supported by government authorities and law enforcement, who conduct occasional patrols to monitor compliance and arrest offenders. Moving forward, we aim to expand our project to other underserved areas, ensuring wider adoption of improved chicken welfare practices.