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Since the middle of the 20th century

chicken farming has been on a rapid path of

industrialisation. In the UK we now raise and

kill over 1 billion chickens per year, over 90%

on intensive farms. On a global scale, the figure

is over 21 billion. Some are calling this the

geological age of the chicken.

Today, chickens are purposefully bred for

excessive daily weight gain to get bigger, faster.

An animal whose wild ancestor the red

junglefowl would only reach 1-1.5kg fully

grown now grows to 2kg in just 40 days. This

fast growth leads to health and welfare issues

such as white striping, wooden breast syndrome,

and green muscle disease, as well as significant

leg pain, gait problems, and reduced mobility.

Such is our disregard for them as

individuals capable of complex emotions,

that gram for gram chicken meat is often sold

for cheaper than a can of dog food.

But the glimpse of a revolution is on the

horizon. In 2018, leading animal protection

groups banded together to create The Better

Chicken Commitment (BCC), an agreement

to drastically improve the lives of chickens.

The BCC ensures food businesses end the

use of fast-growing breeds, improve space

allowance, air quality, light, and enrichment,

reduce distress at slaughter, and implement

third-party auditing. Over 200 companies in

the UK and EU have now committed to

meeting this criteria.

UK charity The Humane League UK

works relentlessly to end the abuse of animals

raised for food and has been instrumental in

gaining BCC commitments from major food

brands across Europe, including KFC, Pizza Hut,

and Kraft-Heinz.

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But we are facing uncertain times and

we can’t continue this work without financial

support. Donating to The Humane League

ensures funds will be spent on science-led,

research-backed programs to advance animal

welfare. The Humane League has been named

Top Charity by independent organisation

Animal Charity Evaluators for every rating

period, thanks to our targeted approach, our

effectiveness in reducing animal suffering

and our efficient use of donations.

When historians of the future look back at

this period in time, let’s make sure they know

we didn’t stand by and watch while the era of

the chicken consumed us.

Want to help?

Please donate now at

thl.link/makeadifference

Welcome to our Signal Boost project – a page for charitable organisations

to get their message out to a global audience, free of charge. Today, a message

from The Humane League

Moving beyond the geological era of the chicken

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