The welfare emergency hidden at the foundation of the global chicken meat supply
Broiler breeder birds — the parents of commercial broiler chickens — carry fast-growing genetics and must be feed-restricted to 25-40% of ad libitum intake to prevent obesity that would impair reproduction. This chronic feed restriction causes persistent hunger, frustration, and abnormal behaviors throughout their 40-60 week productive lives. It is recognized by leading welfare scientists as one of the most severe welfare problems in commercial poultry production.
Research from Edinburgh, Bristol, and multiple US and EU institutions comprehensively documents the severity of hunger motivation in feed-restricted breeders. The birds are not physiologically adapted to reduced feeding — their strong appetite is maintained throughout restriction. This is fundamentally different from species or conditions where restriction reduces appetite.