How We’re Changing the World for Chickens and You Can Help

In the United States, Animal Equality and non-profits The Humane League, and Mercy For Animals are working together to lead the charge when it comes to improving the lives of chickens on factory farms.

While we know the best way to help animals is by simply not eating them altogether, it’s important to make progress and give some relief to the animals still suffering in factory farms — the ones who will never get out. That’s why we push organizations to adopt the Better Chicken Commitment. The Better Chicken Commitment is a specific set of standards that allow chickens to have more space in a cleaner environment and eliminates some of the worst abuses that are currently commonplace in the meat industry. 

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE: Our team in the United Kingdom is taking things even further and is demanding that all major British supermarkets sign on to the Better Chicken Commitment. Super-popular UK grocery chains Waitrose and M&S have already committed to eliminating the worst abuses of chickens in their supply chains, and Animal Equality UK’s petition has garnered over 170,000 signatures demanding change from the rest of the UK’s leading supermarkets. 

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE CHICKEN INDUSTRY?: Over 800 million chickens a year are raised and slaughtered for their flesh to be stacked and sold on grocery store shelves in the UK. Much like animals suffering in U.S. farms, the vast majority of these animals will never step foot outside or feel the sun on their backs. They’re bred to grow to a massive size in a matter of a few weeks, and as a result, their bodies struggle to cope with the strain this puts on their joints and organs. Many die in agony before they even reach the slaughterhouse.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: While our UK team continues to push more grocery chains to adopt the Better Chicken Commitment, you can help us encourage corporations here in the U.S. to do make improvements, too. Take action for chickens, and sign some of our active petitions to make a difference: 

• McDonald’s – Hundreds of its competitors have agreed to eliminate some of the worst abuses to chickens, but McDonald’s is dragging its feet. Let them know that chickens deserve better: www.mcchickencruelty.com
  
  
• Meat Kit Companies – We’re taking on some of the most popular meal kit companies that refuse to listen to consumer demands for improved standards for the animals in their supply chains. We’ve nominated the worst offenders: Home Chef, Yumble, and Gobble in our Meal Kit Cruelty Awards. Vote for the worst one, and ask all of them to make changes for chickens now: https://animalequality.org/action/meal-kit-cruelty-awards 

• The Egg Industry – While it doesn’t fall under the realm of the Better Chicken Commitment, the mass killing of male chicks (aka “chick culling) is a horrific practice that’s standard in all modern egg production, and we’re working to end it. Because male birds are considered useless to the egg industry, they’re ground up, electrocuted, or asphyxiated shortly after hatching — all while fully conscious! Sign the petition to ban this practice for good: www.banchickculling.com