Broiler breeders are the parent birds of commercial meat chickens. Chronic hunger imposed to prevent obesity-related health problems causes significant suffering.
Broiler breeders occupy a particularly hidden position in the animal welfare landscape: their suffering arises from the success of fast-growing genetics that have made meat chicken production highly efficient but created a welfare paradox at the breeding level. A bird genetically programmed for rapid growth must be kept chronically hungry to stay healthy enough to reproduce, creating a lifetime of frustrated hunger motivation. Welfare improvements require changing the genetics themselves toward slower-growing breeds, a shift that consumer demand for welfare-certified chicken is beginning to drive through commitments like the Better Chicken Commitment.