It’s time to stop breeding
fast-growing chickens
Most New Zealanders agree. Do you?
Selective breeding over the last 50 years has caused chickens to grow so big, so fast, they’re growing like…. well…. cancer.
Chickens are now grown so rapidly their legs often can’t support their unnatural, heavy bodies. They’re in pain with each step they take.
This is the same for every chicken reared for meat in New Zealand, including SPCA Certified, free-range, and organic. It’s time to stop this unnatural growth.
By food businesses adopting improved welfare standards, we can ensure chickens no longer suffer from poor genetics. We can give them more space and enrichment for a higher quality of life.
Why do chickens grow so fast?
Between 1950 and 2005, the growth rate of chickens bred for meat was increased by over 400%.
In the 1950s, commercially raised chickens took 70 days to reach about 1.4kg, which is when they were slaughtered.
Today, chickens can reach that same weight in just 35 days, the age when many chickens are now slaughtered.
This faster growth is almost entirely due to genetic selection by the chicken industry.
What’s wrong with fast-growing chickens?
Modern fast-growing chicken breeds grow too fast for their bodies to handle.
They gain enormous amounts of weight for their size, before their bones are strong enough to support that weight.
As a result, they often suffer from:
- legs too weak to hold up their huge bodies
- metabolic disorders (such as heart and breathing problems)
- ammonia burns on their skin and feet from lying most of their lives in dirty litter
- being unable to do core chicken behaviours, like perching or foraging
- muscle weakness and diseases, especially in the breast muscles
During their short lives, most fast-growing chickens will experience chronic pain and find it difficult to move around easily as they grow. They may die before they reach 5 weeks old (which is when they typically go to slaughter).
Help make life better for chickens
It’s time for New Zealand chickens to get a better life.
We’re calling for the industry to make serious changes to the welfare of chickens bred for meat.
Around the world, the Better Chicken Commitment is the new standard for animal welfare. The Better Chicken Commitment calls for:
- Higher welfare, slower-growing chicken breeds
- Comfortable, healthy living conditions, where each chicken has enough space, light and clean air
- Slaughter methods that cause less suffering, with effective stunning and no live shackling
Sign up to support the Better Chicken Commitment so we can show food businesses and the chicken industry that we want them to keep up with progress for animal welfare.
Ending the suffering of farmed animals.
Kia mutu ai te whakataumaha i ngā kararehe pāmu.
Animals Aotearoa Registered Charity
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