Modern broiler chickens grow so fast they suffer chronic health problems — a transition to slower-growing breeds is the most significant welfare improvement available to the poultry industry.
Broiler chicken welfare represents one of the most significant animal welfare challenges in the food system. The sheer scale — over 60 billion broiler chickens slaughtered annually worldwide — combined with health problems built into the genetics of the animals themselves creates suffering on an enormous scale. Fast-growing broiler breeds carry chronic disease burden: their cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems cannot keep pace with their muscle growth. Lameness from leg deformities causes daily pain in a significant fraction of the global broiler flock. Switching to slower-growing breeds addresses the root cause rather than managing symptoms — and consumer demand through corporate commitments like the Better Chicken Commitment is the primary lever for industry change.