Conventional broiler genetics have been selected for rapid growth that now causes significant leg health problems, and welfare-conscious breeding programs are developing slower-growing breeds with better health outcomes.
Broiler genetic welfare represents one of the most significant systemic welfare failures in industrial animal production. The selection of chickens for extreme growth speed has produced animals whose musculoskeletal systems cannot keep pace with their rapid weight gain, resulting in chronic leg pain that affects a substantial proportion of every commercial flock. Chickens with severe leg disorders spend more time lying down, access feed and water with difficulty, and show behavioral indicators of pain including reduced activity and abnormal gait. The existence of slower-growing breeds that achieve commercial viability with far lower leg disorder rates demonstrates that this welfare problem is not inevitable but is the result of specific breeding choices that can be reversed. The Better Chicken Commitment represents a market-driven pathway to systemic welfare improvement across the broiler industry.