Farm Animals

Chicken Breed Selection and Welfare

Selective breeding for extreme production traits has created serious welfare problems in commercial poultry. Breed selection is one of the most powerful levers for improving farmed chicken welfare.

Key Facts

Fast-growing broiler breeds can reach market weight in 42 days, causing leg disorders and cardiovascular disease
Slower-growing breeds take 56-70 days but have significantly better health and welfare outcomes
High-production laying hen breeds have bone fragility due to calcium depletion from intensive laying
Dual-purpose breeds improve welfare but are less economically efficient in specialized production systems

Welfare Considerations

Breed selection determines the welfare potential of entire flocks before a single management decision is made. Extreme production breeds carry embedded welfare problems that cannot be fully overcome through better management. Moving to slower-growing or more moderate production breeds is one of the highest-impact interventions available for farmed chicken welfare.

What You Can Do

Support companies and retailers committed to slower-growing broiler breed standards
Choose products from slower-growing breed programs where available and affordable
Advocate for breed welfare requirements in animal welfare certification schemes
Support research into breeds that balance productivity with robust health and welfare