Farm Animal Welfare

Broiler Chicken Breed Reform Progress

Fast-growing broiler breeds suffer from severe health problems including lameness, heart failure, and ascites. Transitioning to slower-growing breeds significantly improves welfare outcomes.

Key Facts

Fast-growing broilers reach slaughter weight in 35-42 days, double the rate of 50 years ago
Approximately 25-30% of fast-growing broilers experience mobility problems
Heart disease and sudden death syndrome are significantly more common in fast-growing breeds
Slower-growing breeds show markedly better welfare outcomes on key indicators
Major European retailers have committed to transitioning to slower-growing breeds by 2026

Welfare Considerations

Fast-growing broiler breeds have been selected so intensively for growth rate that their bodies cannot support their own weight or sustain basic cardiac function. This represents a systemic welfare failure built into the genetics of modern chicken production. Transitioning to slower-growing breeds is the most impactful single welfare improvement available.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken from farms using slower-growing breeds where labelled
Support the Better Chicken Commitment retailers in their breed transition
Ask supermarkets about their progress toward higher welfare chicken standards