Modern broiler chickens have been bred to grow so fast that their bodies are under constant physiological stress. Understanding this welfare crisis is essential for anyone concerned about farm animal welfare.
Fast-growth broiler chickens are physiologically compromised from birth. Their bodies have been engineered for speed, not function — the result is birds that struggle to walk, whose hearts cannot keep up with their mass, and who spend their short lives on litter that causes foot burns and breast blisters. The welfare costs are not edge cases; they are features of the production system. Slower-growing breeds exist, prove commercially viable at premium price points, and substantially reduce these harms. The path to better broiler welfare is known — the obstacle is cost and consumer willingness to pay.