Extreme heat threatens poultry farms across Korea this summer

At his poultry farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla, Oh Se-jin watches 30 to 40 fully grown chickens die each day. The birds are succumbing to extreme heat, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).

A chicken drinks water to cool off at a poultry farm in Seji-myeon, Naju, South Jeolla. [NEWS1]

At his poultry farm in Gochang County, North Jeolla, Oh Se-jin watches 30 to 40 fully grown chickens die each day. The birds are succumbing to extreme heat, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit).

“If they eat during the day, their body heat rises, so I restrict feeding at lunchtime,” Oh said. “Now they only eat in the morning and evening. That’s slowed their growth and made it difficult to ship them on time.”

This summer’s heat is proving too much not only for people but for animals as well. July is not yet over, but more than one million farm animals have already died due to the scorching weather.

A total of 103,885 animal deaths were reported on Tuesday alone, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Most were poultry, with only 188 pigs among the total. The cumulative toll for the year has reached 1,287,694 animals, including 1,231,682 poultry — a 6.5-fold increase from 197,079 during the same period in 2024.

High temperatures and humidity increase heat stress in livestock during the summer months. Chickens are especially vulnerable, as their bodies are covered in feathers and they lack sweat glands to regulate body temperature. This makes poultry farms particularly susceptible to extreme heat.

The optimal temperature range for raising chickens is between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. Sustained exposure to temperatures above 30 degrees Celcius reduces egg production and causes dehydration, which can lead to death in severe cases.

An employee walks through a poultry farm in Seji-myeon, Naju, South Jeolla, to keep the chickens moving. [NEWS1]

Chicken prices may rise

With chicken deaths mounting, some consumers are worried about potential price hikes for chicken dishes such as samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and fried chicken. The period from July 20 to Aug. 9, which includes Korea’s three traditional hottest days known as boknal, is a peak season for poultry sales.

While prices remain stable for now, industry officials warn they could rise if the heat wave continues.

“To prepare for boknal, we’ve already increased supply, so there hasn’t been a major price impact yet,” said Kwon Jeong-oh, executive director of the Korea Broiler Council. “But if the extreme heat persists through malbok, the last of the three boknal days, it could become a significant variable.”

Volunteers serve samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup) and watermelon to older people at a social welfare center in Daemyeong-dong, Nam District, Daegu, on July 17. [NEWS1]

Calls to improve poultry farming conditions

With heat waves growing more intense each summer, experts are calling for urgent improvements to poultry farming conditions.

Most egg-laying hens are still kept in cages smaller than a sheet of A4 paper — just 0.05 square meters (0.54 square feet) per bird. Although the government planned to enforce regulations expanding cage sizes starting in September, implementation has been delayed until September 2027.

“Chickens have high body temperatures, around 41 degrees Celsius, and they instinctively cool off by dust bathing,” said Lee Ji-eun, a policy advocate at the Korea Animal Welfare Association. “But in overcrowded cages, heat wave damage worsens each year. To tackle the climate crisis, we need to expand cage space, install cooling pads and provide access to cold drinking water.”

BY CHON KWON-PIL [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]