Justice for chickens: the culmination of a three year battle

Represented by Advocates for Animals, we argued that fast-growing chicken breeds, known as Frankenchickens, are illegal under current animal welfare laws.

We won't hear the result for a few weeks or months. But this case has the potential to dramatically change the farming landscape in the UK and impact the lives of billions of chickens.

Outside the court, the action was just as exciting as our incredible volunteers and supporters gathered to protest, alongside some famous faces. Writer and activist Benjamin Zephaniah, model and animal advocate Lucy Watson, and naturalist Chris Packham with his stepaughter Megan McCubbin, all joined us to speak up for chickens.

The case has sparked new conversations all over the UK. With coverage from BBC News at 1pm and 6pm, ITV News, The Mirror, The Guardian, The Independent, and Radio 5 Live to name but a few, the public are growing more and more aware of what they are buying from supermarkets. As a country of animal lovers, we know this treatment is unacceptable.

Chickens raised for meat are growing four times faster than a few decades ago. As a result, they can experience painful lameness and burns to their skin, and even death from sudden heart attacks and organ failure.

The law is clear to us - animals cannot be farmed if their genetics could lead to suffering. While Defra is arguing that there’s no scientific evidence of suffering, investigations have repeatedly shown the hell experienced by chickens on factory farms. Our case is bolstered by evidence given by the RSPCA which shows that fast-growing breeds of chicken do suffer, no matter the environment they’re raised in.

To get updates on our case against the Government and hear about ways you can join our fight for justice for chickens, join our mailing list.

December 2024 update: Read about the final result of the case here.