Broiler Chicken Welfare and the Better Chicken Commitment

The Better Chicken Commitment represents a major industry initiative to improve welfare standards for broiler chickens.

Key Facts

Modern broiler chickens have been selectively bred for growth so rapid that heart failure and leg problems are endemic
Standard broiler chickens reach slaughter weight in 42 days, roughly double their natural growth rate
The Better Chicken Commitment asks companies to adopt slower-growing breeds, lower stocking densities, and enriched housing
Over 300 major companies globally have signed the Better Chicken Commitment or equivalent standards
Slower-growing breeds show dramatically lower rates of health problems and better behavioral welfare outcomes

Welfare Considerations

The broiler chicken industry has selectively bred birds into bodies that cause them chronic pain and disability. Cardiac failure, ascites, and leg disorders are so prevalent in fast-growing breeds that suffering has become essentially universal at industrial scale. The Better Chicken Commitment addresses these problems at their root by requiring slower-growing breeds alongside improved housing. Consumer pressure and corporate commitments are driving meaningful change.

What You Can Do

Check whether your preferred restaurants and grocery stores have signed the Better Chicken Commitment
Choose chicken products labeled as slower-growing or from certified higher welfare systems
Support organizations tracking corporate compliance with the Better Chicken Commitment
Reduce or eliminate chicken consumption to reduce demand from industrial production
Advocate for regulatory requirements for slower-growing breeds in commercial chicken production