Broiler breeder birds — the parents of commercial broiler chickens — face unique welfare challenges from deliberate food restriction designed to prevent excessive weight gain while maintaining reproduction.
Broiler breeder food restriction is one of the most ethically contested practices in commercial poultry production. The birds are genetically identical to broiler chickens — bred for rapid weight gain — and are therefore predisposed to obesity if fed ad libitum. To maintain reproductive health, they are kept in a state of chronic hunger. The welfare harm is severe: Marian Dawkins motivation research demonstrates that these birds are highly motivated for food even after receiving their daily ration, showing that the hunger drive is not satisfied. This is a welfare problem created by genetic selection that could be resolved by using slow-growing parent stock — a welfare-positive intervention that the industry has been slow to adopt.