An "appropriate" police presence will today greet 10 or so animal-rights campaigners when they stage a public "die-in" to coincide with the 23rd World Poultry Congress underway in Brisbane.

The congress is bringing together a host of experts on a range of topics affecting the international poultry industry, including bird flu, avian genetics and China's rise as a major producer.

Animal Liberation Queensland spokesperson Cynthia Burnett said her group would hold a small and and peaceful demonstration at Brisbane Square in the CBD to highlight the industry's use of so-called "broiler chickens", which are bred for their meat.

"It's a symbolic gesture really," Ms Burnett said.

"There will be 10 or a dozen people dressed in black carrying black cut-outs of chickens and each person will be lying on the ground.

"Each of them will represent the equivalent of about 50 million broiler chickens that are slaughtered each year in Australia for their meat."

A Queensland Police spokesperson said an "appropriate" number of officers would attend the demonstration to make sure things stayed peaceful.

Former Democrats senator Andrew Bartlett will address the forum at 12.30pm.

Ms Burnett said the use of broiler chickens was cruel and unsustainable way to produce food for the global population.

The World Poultry Congress is being held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Nobel Prize-winning scientist and former Australian of the Year Professor Peter Doherty is among the conference's keynote speakers.