Farm Animals

Broiler Breeder Welfare

Broiler breeders — the parent birds of meat chickens — are kept in chronic hunger to prevent obesity-related health problems.

Key Facts

Broiler breeders are feed-restricted to 60-80% of their ad libitum appetite
Chronic hunger causes frustration, aggression, and stereotypic behaviors
Unrestricted feeding causes obesity, lameness, and reproductive failure
Alternative slow-growing breeds avoid this dilemma entirely

Welfare Considerations

Broiler breeders experience a fundamental welfare dilemma: they are genetically programmed to eat constantly, but unrestricted feeding kills them. The solution — chronic food restriction — keeps them in a constant state of hunger and frustration. This is an engineered welfare problem with no good solution under current genetics, motivating breed-change campaigns.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns requiring slower-growing genetics in broiler production
Choose chicken products from companies committing to better genetics
Advocate for ban on chronic feed restriction in poultry breeding
Reduce chicken consumption while welfare issues persist in production