Leg health problems are endemic in fast-growing broiler chickens and represent one of the most significant and prevalent welfare issues in the global poultry industry.
The scale of leg health suffering in commercial broiler production is almost incomprehensible — billions of birds experience pain during their short lives, every year. The cause is known: extreme growth rates driven by breed selection. The solution is also known: slower-growing breeds and higher-welfare housing conditions improve leg health dramatically. The European Chicken Commitment, signed by major food companies, requires adoption of higher-welfare breeds and housing standards. Progress exists, but the majority of global broiler production still uses fast-growing breeds with endemic leg problems.