Fast-growing chicken

Why is chicken so cheap?

The majority of the 1.1 billion chickens farmed each year in the UK for food are bred to grow so fast millions of them are dangerously heavy for their age, struggle to walk properly and can suffer from heart defects.

How fast do chickens grow to full size?

The majority of chickens raised in the UK are bred to grow very quickly so as producers can meet the demand for this now highly 

commoditised animal. The focus being on producing the greatest amount of meat in the shortest time. This is not the case on RSPCA Assured chicken farms. 

How do chickens grow so fast?

Modern farmed chickens grow so fast due to genetic selection. Since the late 1950s, genetics companies have approximately halved the amount of time it takes for a meat chicken to achieve the same slaughter weight - at the rate of about one day shorter per year.

They are then raised in climate-controlled 

barns with unlimited food and water never far away. One particular result of this rapid growth is that these birds are inactive, particularly as they get older, so spend most of their time sitting or eating, gaining more weight until they reach slaughter weight.

What's wrong with cheap chicken?

The welfare problems associated with conventional chicken production doesn’t end with fast growth rates. The majority of cheap chickens don’t have enough space to move around freely, in fact, they are given less space

per bird than an egg-laying hen kept in a cage. Their fast growth means that they are often unable to use any enrichment provided, such as perches.

Chickens which grow too fast can suffer severe welfare issues. As they become too heavy for their skeletons, they can struggle to walk properly and suffer from heart defects and other health problems.

Why is RSPCA Assured chicken better?

On RSPCA Assured farms, fast-growing chicken breeds are not permitted. The welfare of 

a breed must be fully assessed by the RSPCA before it can be used. In addition to this, RSPCA Assured chickens must be provided with more space. When chickens are kept indoors, they must have windows giving them natural daylight. 

In order to be sure you’re buying slower-growing chicken which has been raised to higher welfare standards, look for the RSPCA Assured logo when you shop. If you can’t find our logo in your supermarket, you can use our Lobby your supermarket tool to let then know which products you’d like to see. 

The issue of cheap chicken is one which we can all take responsibility to tackle. 

The more people choose ethical chicken like RSPCA Assured, free-range and organic, the more supermarkets will stock it. You can add your voice to the Better Chicken

Commitment to encourage big supermarkets to improve players to sign up and improve chicken welfare across the UK and Europe.