Chicken Welfare Science: Broiler Chickens and Suffering at Scale

Over 70 billion chickens are slaughtered globally each year. Research increasingly reveals the cognitive and emotional complexity of chickens, making improvements in broiler chicken welfare one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available.

Key Facts

Over 70 billion chickens are slaughtered annually worldwide — more than any other land animal
Broiler chickens have been selectively bred to grow from hatch to slaughter weight in around 35 days
Fast-growing breeds suffer from skeletal disorders, cardiac failure, and chronic lameness at rates of 25-30%
Research by Jo Edgar at Bristol Veterinary School showed mother hens show empathic responses to chicks in distress
Chickens have shown object permanence, self-control, and basic arithmetic in controlled experiments
Standard broiler sheds house 30,000-50,000 birds with minimal environmental enrichment
The Better Chicken Commitment asks companies to switch to slower-growing breeds with more space and enrichment
Litter quality and lighting management have direct, measurable impacts on broiler welfare outcomes

Welfare Considerations

Broiler chicken welfare is the most pressing single farmed animal welfare issue by number of individuals affected. Chronic lameness caused by fast growth rates means hundreds of millions of birds experience pain throughout their lives — welfare assessments using gait scoring show that 25-30% of UK broilers have significant lameness before slaughter. Cardiac myopathy syndrome kills millions before slaughter. The Good Chicken Award scheme and industry body RSPCA Assured have published welfare outcome-based standards that show what improvement looks like. Slow-growing breeds, natural light, enrichment objects, and raised perches are evidence-based interventions with measurable welfare benefit. Consumer choice and corporate commitments remain the most powerful levers.

What You Can Do

Sign the Better Chicken Commitment petition and support companies that have adopted it
Choose RSPCA Assured, Soil Association Organic, or equivalent higher-welfare chicken
Reduce chicken consumption overall, or shift to plant-based alternatives where possible
Ask your favourite restaurants and takeaways about their chicken welfare standards
Support Humane Society International and Compassion in World Farming corporate engagement work
Advocate for mandatory welfare outcome reporting in UK and EU food standards legislation
Share welfare science findings about chicken cognition and emotion to change public perception