Chicken Genetics

There are many concerns with how fast chickens grow today. Up to 37% of conventional breeds suffer from lameness – the inability to walk properly. On farm mortality is over two times higher in fast-growing breeds, leading to over 500 million birds dying on-farm every year. From a meat quality perspective, there are high incidences of visible muscular myopathies in meat from conventional broiler chicken, leading to what’s called “spaghetti meat.”

The BCC requires that certain breeds approved through independent scientific trials be used for chicken production. These approved breeds live 10-30 days longer than fast-growing chickens, which may not seem like a long time, but to a 6-pound animal, it can make a monumental difference.

End of Life

A typical chicken processing plant has two main welfare concerns – the first is that birds are hung upside down, referred to as “live inversion,” where their feet are put in metal shackles. The second is once birds are hung upside down, they are moved through a conveyer belt and immersed in a large electrical water bath. This is meant to stun the birds before they are then killed for food. The main concerns with this type of stunning are that it is not always effective, it is stressful for the animals, and it can lead to pain and injury.

The BCC requires a newer form of technology called Controlled Atmosphere Stunning, or CAS. This system is much calmer and is better for both the animals and the workers. The birds go through the system at a slower speed where they pass through multi-stage chambers gradually, being exposed to different levels of gas until they are rendered unconscious. This system is much more humane for the birds, which is why the BCC requires this as the final stage of production.

Auditing and Reporting Progress

The BCC requires third-party auditing and annual progress reporting. This ensures accountability and transparency to customers and stakeholders.

To see which companies leading, and which ones are falling behind, check out our ChickenTrack report! If your favorite company is not listed in our report, we encourage you to reach out to them and showcase your support for higher welfare chicken through the Better Chicken Commitment.