Broiler chickens live only 35-47 days before slaughter - a lifespan so short that welfare problems can only be reduced, not eliminated, within the current production model. The lifespan welfare equation shapes ethical evaluation.
The slaughter age of broiler chickens creates a welfare arithmetic that is rarely acknowledged explicitly. A chicken that develops severe lameness at day 28 and is slaughtered at day 35 suffers for 7 days - less total suffering than a slower-growing chicken that develops lameness at day 35 and is slaughtered at day 56. If conditions do not improve with extended lifespan, longer lives may not mean better welfare. The welfare case for slower-growing breeds rests not on extended lifespan alone but on the better health outcomes those breeds achieve: lower lameness rates, better cardiovascular health, and more active behavior throughout their lives. The combination of better genetics, better environment, and extended lifespan is the welfare goal - not any single variable in isolation.