Industrial Animal Agriculture &
Farmed Animals’ Welfare
Chickens
Chickens have been domesticated by humans for thousands of years and are farmed in virtually every country around the world. Today, there are many hundreds of species of chickens. The wild ancestor of modern day chickens is the red junglefowl.
Chickens are highly social birds, and live together in groups called flocks. Chickens have clear social systems in place, with a clear hierarchy or “pecking order.” They have complex communication systems and frequently communicate with each other using a variety of calls.
In the wild, chickens spend their days foraging for food, scratching in the earth and vegetation for insects, seeds and other edible items. They are omnivores who consume a wide range of different foods. At night chickens roost in trees, where they are safe from predators.
Hens (females) have a natural instinct to seek a nest in which to lay their eggs, preferring dark, secluded areas.
Rescued hens displaying roosting behaviour. Providing perches off the ground helps the chickens to feel safe and secure from predators.
Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals Media.
A chicken taking a dust bath: a natural behaviour that helps to keep their feathers clean and clear of parasites. Credit: Amy Corrigan, Welfare Matters.
Their natural lifespan can be from 5 - 10 years.
There is clear evidence that chickens have complex mental processes, and growing evidence that chickens experience emotions that matter to them and affect their health and welfare. It appears that chickens demonstrate empathy and can recognise stress in other chickens.
You can learn more about chickens here.
Chickens as a food source
According to Compassion in World Farming, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird, with more than 75 billion chickens being reared annually as a source of food, for both their meat and their eggs.
Most chickens raised for meat are hybrids of the Cornish and Plymouth rock breeds. A number of different breeds are used to produce eggs.
The chickens raised for food on modern farms can be separated into two different categories (farm industry definitions):
Layer hen is the term used for a female chicken who is used to produce eggs.
Broiler chicken is the term used for a chicken (male or female) who is raised for their meat.
A layer hen. Credit: Brianna Tucker, Unsplash.
A broiler chicken. Credit: Geon George on Unsplash.