Broiler Chicken Welfare Reforms and Slower-Growing Breeds

Shifting from fast-growing to slower-growing broiler breeds is one of the most impactful welfare improvements available to the poultry industry.

Key Facts

Modern fast-growing broiler breeds reach slaughter weight in 35-42 days, causing serious welfare problems
Fast-growing broilers suffer high rates of gait abnormalities, contact dermatitis, and cardiovascular disease
Studies show 26-30% of fast-growing broilers suffer painful lameness by slaughter age
Slower-growing breeds (growing at least 25% more slowly) have dramatically lower rates of these conditions
The Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) requires slower-growing breeds, more space, and perches and litter
Major food companies including McDonald's, Burger King, and many others have signed BCC commitments

Welfare Considerations

Fast-growing broiler genetics represent a systemic welfare problem: birds are bred to grow so quickly that their musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and immune systems cannot keep pace. Broilers experiencing lameness from leg disorders cannot access food and water normally, spend more time lying in their own litter (causing painful skin burns), and experience distress in their inability to express natural behaviors. The scale of this welfare problem - affecting billions of birds annually - makes breed reform one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available. Consumer pressure through purchasing choices and corporate commitments has proven an effective lever for driving industry change.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products certified under the Better Chicken Commitment or equivalent standards
Support retailers and restaurants that have signed Better Chicken Commitment pledges
Ask your supermarket or preferred chicken brand about their broiler breed welfare commitments
Reduce chicken consumption or shift to welfare-certified products to reduce demand for fast-grown birds
Support policy initiatives requiring minimum welfare standards for broiler production
Engage with campaigns from groups like Compassion in World Farming that advocate for breed reform