The Life Of A Chicken: From Chick To Package

Raising chickens for meat typically takes around 6-10 weeks for them to reach market weight, depending on the breed and desired weight. Broiler chickens, a hybrid cross bred for fast growth, are usually slaughtered at seven to nine weeks when they weigh between 3 to 5 pounds. After slaughter, chickens are defeathered, gutted, and packaged. Before reaching this stage, meat chickens require a balanced diet, ample space, and a well-managed environment to support their rapid growth.

Chickens bred for meat are called 'broilers'

Chickens bred for meat are called broilers. Broiler chickens are any chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) that are bred and raised specifically for meat production. They are noted for their very fast growth rates, high feed conversion ratios, and low levels of activity. Modern commercial broilers are bred to reach a slaughter weight of about 2 kg (4.4 lb) in only 5 to 7 weeks.

Broilers are usually grown as mixed-sex flocks in large sheds under intensive conditions. Before the development of modern commercial meat breeds, broilers were mostly young male chickens culled from farm flocks. Pedigree breeding began around 1916. Magazines for the poultry industry existed at this time. A crossbred variety of chicken was produced from a male of a naturally double-breasted Cornish strain and a female of a tall, large-boned strain of white Plymouth Rocks. This first attempt at a meat crossbreed was introduced in the 1930s and became dominant in the 1960s. Modern broilers have become very different from the Cornish/Rock crossbreeds.

Broiler chickens represent the most efficient meat-producing birds in modern agriculture. These birds feature broad breasts, wide leg spacing, and compact bodies. Their rapid growth allows them to reach a market weight of 4-6 pounds in just 6-8 weeks. Their efficient metabolism processes nutrients directly into muscle mass rather than maintaining body functions or producing eggs. Meat chickens feature broad breasts, wide-set legs, and compact bodies optimized for meat production. Their white feathers ensure clean processing, while their large skeletal frames support extensive muscle development, particularly in breast meat.

The commercial production of broiler chickens for meat consumption is a highly industrialized process. There are two major sectors: rearing birds intended for consumption and rearing parent stock for breeding the meat birds. A report in 2005 stated that around 5.9 billion broiler chickens for eating were produced yearly in the European Union. Mass production of chicken meat is a global industry, and at that time, only two or three breeding companies supplied around 90% of the world's breeder-broilers. The total number of meat chickens produced in the world was nearly 47 billion in 2004; of these, approximately 19% were produced in the US, 15% in China, 13% in the EU25, and 11% in Brazil.

Broilers are raised in large sheds with no natural light

Broiler chickens, or chickens farmed for meat, are typically raised in large sheds with tens of thousands of other birds. These sheds are often overcrowded, with each chicken receiving only slightly more space than the size of an iPad. The sheds are generally bare, with no natural light, and only food and water centres. The floor is covered in litter, which is only cleaned out every few years, leading to damp, faeces-filled conditions that can cause lesions, pain, and infections on the birds' legs, feet, and chests. The air can become polluted with ammonia from the droppings, burning and irritating the chickens' eyes and respiratory systems.

The sheds can get extremely hot, especially in the warmer months, and if the ventilation systems fail, thousands of birds can die within hours. The chickens are unable to adjust to the temperature or escape the heat, as they would in natural conditions. This can lead to heat stress and increased air contamination. The quick growth of the chickens also contributes to increased air contamination, as well as foul litter.

The lack of space in the sheds means that the chickens have little room to exercise and are often disturbed or walked over by other birds. As they grow larger, they have even less space to move and may find it difficult to reach food and water if they are lame. They are unable to perform natural behaviours such as foraging, running, pecking, scratching, flapping their wings, and perching. This can lead to frustration and stress, and the chickens may take out their aggression by pecking and cannibalizing other birds.

Some studies have shown that providing environmental enrichment, such as outdoor runs and natural light, can improve the welfare of broiler chickens. Natural light, in particular, has been shown to increase resting behaviour and decrease motivated behaviours such as dust bathing, play behaviour, and foraging. However, the quality and intensity of lighting are important factors in the welfare of the birds.

Intensive farming methods cause health issues for broilers

Broilers, or chickens bred and raised specifically for meat production, are usually grown in large sheds under intensive farming conditions. Intensive farming methods have been linked to several health issues for broilers.

Broilers have been selectively bred for rapid growth and efficiency, resulting in large body weights with a high proportion of breast meat. This has led to welfare problems, including leg health issues, contact dermatitis, and heat stress. The rapid growth also puts additional strain on the chickens' hearts and lungs, and many die before they make it to slaughter. In fact, research has shown that broilers with painful leg conditions will choose to eat less desirable feed if they learn that it contains analgesia for pain relief.

The intensive farming conditions further exacerbate these health issues. Broilers are typically kept in overcrowded, filthy sheds with no access to the outdoors, fresh air, or sunlight. The sheds are generally bare except for water and food, with no natural light. The birds are forced to live on top of the droppings of thousands of other birds, as the litter on the floor is only fully cleaned out every few years. Contact with feces-filled, damp litter can cause lesions, pain, and infections on their legs (hock burns), feet, and chest.

The air in these sheds can become highly polluted with ammonia from the droppings, burning and irritating the chickens' eyes and respiratory systems. The dust emitted from intensive poultry production operations, containing feather and skin fragments, faeces, feed particles, and other pollutants, can also adversely impact the health of the chickens, as well as the health of farm workers and nearby inhabitants.

The process of transporting broilers to slaughterhouses also causes stress and injuries, resulting in bruising, broken bones, and other injuries. Many broilers die during transport, and the methods used to stun them before slaughter are sometimes ineffective, causing further pain and distress.

Chickens are slaughtered, packaged, and shipped to markets

Chickens are typically slaughtered, packaged, and shipped to markets within six to seven weeks of birth. This is because most commercial broilers (chickens bred and raised specifically for meat production) reach slaughter weight between four and six weeks of age, although slower-growing breeds may take up to 14 weeks.

The process of slaughtering and packaging chickens is highly industrialized and often involves thousands of chickens a day. Firstly, the chickens are caught by hand and transferred into holding cages or modular bins designed for transport to the processing plant. This journey is typically less than 60 miles, but the chickens are given no food or water and are shipped through all weather conditions.

Upon arrival at the processing plant, the chickens are hung upside down on stainless steel shackles, which form part of the slaughter line. They are then stunned, which involves rendering them unconscious and unaware of pain. In the United States, the primary method of stunning is electrical stunning, where the birds' heads are immersed in an electrified water bath. In the European Union, animals must be rendered unconscious before slaughter, and halal slaughter requires that the slaughterer cuts the windpipe, esophagus, and jugular veins.

After stunning, the chickens are bled, slaughtered, scalded, and plucked. Evisceration involves removing the visceral organs, and the chicken's head and feet may also be cut off. The carcass is then pre-chilled to clean, cool, and de-acidify it, preventing deterioration during preservation.

The final steps involve weighing the product and affixing price and safe handling instructions to the package. Labels must be approved by the USDA, and the product passes through a metal detector for a final check. The chicken is then packaged into boxes, which are labelled with the date packaged, the USDA seal of approval, and the establishment number of the plant.

Trailers are inspected to ensure they are functioning correctly and are properly cooled and cleaned before the packaged chicken is loaded and shipped to markets.

Mass production of chicken meat is a global industry

Chicken is one of the most widely consumed meats globally, with nearly 47 billion meat chickens produced worldwide in 2004. The mass production of chicken meat, or broilers, is a global industry, with the United States, China, the EU25, and Brazil being the top producers. In the European Union alone, around 5.9 billion broiler chickens for consumption were produced yearly as of 2005.

The commercial production of broiler chickens for meat is a highly industrialized process. The broiler industry involves intensive management conditions, with many broilers dying during the processes of catching, packing, and transport. The development of the broiler chicken, a chicken raised specifically for its meat, marked the beginning of chicken meat production as a distinct industry. This shift occurred around the turn of the century, when entrepreneurs began selling young chickens during the summer as a sideline activity on their family farms.

The commercial broiler industry began its economic boom in the 1940s and 1950s. By 1952, specially bred meat chickens ("broilers") surpassed farm chickens as the primary source of chicken meat in the United States. The industry was further revolutionized by the concept of ""vertical integration," with single companies involved in every stage of production, processing, and marketing. This allowed for greater efficiency, responsiveness, and profitability.

Today, the broiler produced is meatier, more affordable, and more wholesome than in previous years. Most commercial broilers reach slaughter weight between four and six weeks of age, although slower-growing breeds may take up to 14 weeks. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) is used to measure the feed quantity required to produce a kilogram of meat. For instance, a chicken that receives 500 grams of protein feed with a 20% protein conversion efficiency will yield 100 grams of chicken meat.

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