Chicken Breed Welfare and Fast Growth

The dominant breeds of broiler chicken used in industrial agriculture have been selected for extremely rapid growth, causing chronic pain, heart failure and mobility problems that affect nearly every bird.

Key Facts

Modern broiler chickens reach slaughter weight in 35 days, a rate that would be equivalent to a human weighing 300 kg at two years old
Approximately 90% of broiler chickens in conventional systems suffer from some degree of leg disorder due to fast growth
Ascites — fluid accumulation in the body cavity due to heart and lung strain — kills millions of broiler chickens annually
The Better Chicken Commitment calls for a switch to slower-growing breeds such as Rambler, Hubbard and RSPCA Assured approved breeds
Slower-growing breeds have significantly lower rates of leg disorders, cardiac conditions and mortality

Welfare Considerations

Fast-growing broiler breeds represent a welfare catastrophe that is built into the very genetics of the most numerous farmed land animal. Every bird of the dominant commercial breeds carries a genetic legacy of selection for rapid weight gain at the expense of health and mobility. Many birds spend their final days unable to walk to food or water. Painful lameness, chronic respiratory disease and cardiovascular failure are not occasional welfare failures but predicted, systematic outcomes of the breeding choices made. Switching to slower-growing breeds is the single most impactful welfare improvement available in broiler production — addressing the root genetic cause rather than managing symptoms.

What You Can Do

Support the Better Chicken Commitment campaign at www.betterchickencommitment.co.uk
Choose RSPCA Assured chicken or brands committed to slower-growing breeds
Advocate for retailers and food service companies to sign the Better Chicken Commitment
Reduce chicken consumption or switch to plant-based chicken alternatives
Engage with the genetics debate — support research into welfare-positive breeding selection criteria