Broiler breeder chickens - the parents of meat chickens - face severe welfare challenges due to chronic feed restriction. This aspect of poultry welfare is largely invisible to consumers.
Broiler breeders experience a welfare paradox created by the genetic selection applied to their offspring: birds bred to grow extremely fast cannot survive to breeding age without severe feed restriction that causes chronic hunger. Studies show these birds consume their daily ration in a matter of minutes and spend the remainder of their time in a state of persistent hunger. The behavioral signs including excessive foraging, aggressive competition for food, and stereotypic behaviors are consistent with a highly aversive experience. This welfare problem is effectively invisible to most consumers who focus on the lives of the meat chickens themselves. The only solution is selection for slower, more sustainable growth rates.