The broiler chicken industry has achieved extraordinary growth rates through selective breeding, but at severe cost to individual welfare. The transition to slower-growing breeds is gathering momentum.
Broiler welfare reform represents one of the highest-impact opportunities in farm animal welfare due to the sheer scale of the industry and the severity of harms caused by current genetics. Leg disorders in fast-growing breeds cause chronic pain throughout the bird's short life; the irony is that animals bred for meat cannot bear their own weight. Slower-growing breeds, while requiring longer to reach slaughter weight, are healthier, more active, and show dramatically better welfare outcomes. The Better Chicken Commitment has driven significant corporate adoption of slower-growing breed commitments, demonstrating that consumer-facing corporate campaigns can shift industry practice. Regulatory approaches requiring maximum growth rate limits would provide a floor that protects all birds regardless of retailer commitments.