Farm Animals

Broiler Chicken Fast-Growing Breed Reform

Fast-growing broiler breeds experience significant health and welfare problems related to their extreme growth rate. Industry commitments to slower-growing breeds are transforming commercial poultry welfare.

Key Facts

Fast-growing broilers reach market weight in 42 days but suffer high rates of leg disorders and heart failure
The Better Chicken Commitment requires signatories to transition to slower-growing breeds by set deadlines
Over 300 major food companies globally have signed welfare commitments covering broiler breed standards
Slower-growing breeds taking 56+ days to slaughter weight show dramatically lower welfare-relevant health problems

Welfare Considerations

Broiler breed selection is the most impactful single lever for improving commercial chicken welfare. Fast-growing breeds are essentially bred for a welfare crisis: their bodies grow faster than their skeletal and cardiovascular systems can support. Corporate commitments to slower-growing breeds represent historic progress but require ongoing monitoring and accountability to translate into actual improvements.

What You Can Do

Support food companies that have made and are meeting Better Chicken Commitment timelines
Ask supermarkets and restaurant chains about their broiler breed welfare commitments
Choose chicken products from slower-growing breed programs where available
Advocate for mandatory breed welfare standards in poultry welfare certification schemes