Farm Animals

Broiler Parent Hunger and Feed Restriction Welfare

Broiler breeder parents are feed-restricted to prevent obesity. This creates chronic hunger that is considered one of the most significant welfare problems in commercial poultry.

Key Facts

Broiler breeders are fed 40-60% of their voluntary intake to prevent obesity
Chronic hunger causes persistent foraging behaviour, stereotypies and aggression
Alternative approaches include lower-energy feed, skip-a-day feeding and precision feeding
The welfare problem exists because broiler genetics prioritise rapid growth over broiler breeder health

Welfare Considerations

Chronic hunger in broiler breeders represents a significant and underappreciated welfare problem affecting millions of birds globally. Feed-based alternatives, precision nutrition and genetic selection that reduces the growth-longevity conflict are the most promising solutions.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns advocating for broiler parent welfare standards
Choose chicken products from companies committed to addressing breeder welfare
Back research into broiler genetics that reduces the welfare tradeoff in breeding birds