Modern broiler chickens have been selectively bred for rapid growth, causing widespread musculoskeletal disorders that affect billions of birds annually.
The leg disorders affecting modern broiler breeds cause chronic pain that compromises the birds ability to walk, access food and water, and engage in natural behaviors. Studies show lame birds spend more time lying in contaminated litter, worsening foot pad dermatitis. The industry standard of prioritizing growth rate over welfare has created a systemic crisis affecting billions of individual animals each year.