Animal welfare: Welfare of meat chickens
National Legislation
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The welfare of meat chickens is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 under which it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The Act also contains a Duty of Care to animals – this means that anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure the animal’s needs are met. This means that a person has to look after an animal’s welfare as well as ensure that it does not suffer.
These general requirements are supplemented by detailed requirements set out in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007 No 2078). These Regulations replaced the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 on 1st October 2007. Schedule 1 of these requirements is applicable to all animals, including meat chickens, and contains specific requirements concerning the provision of, for example, water, accommodation and food.
Information and an update on the Council Directive laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production are available on this website.
Welfare Code
- There is a Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of meat chickens, which contains advice for stock-keepers on best husbandry practice. The existing Code continues to apply under the new Animal Welfare Act, but with the introduction of the Act and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, the references to the legislation throughout the code are now out of date. Whilst the vast majority of the 2000 Regulations are replicated by the 2007 Regulations, you should check the legislation as it currently stands;
- Welfare codes are not law, but failure to follow their provisions
may be used as evidence in court when a prosecution is taken for causing
unnecessary pain or distress to livestock;
- Welfare code for meat chickens and
breeding chickens
(105 KB). Copies can also be requested
from Defra publications.
R&D
Defra funded a major 3 year research project at Bristol University to help us find out more about leg health problems with a view to recommending practicable control strategies.
Animal Health
Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary Service) carries out welfare inspections on farms to check that the legislation and the welfare codes are being followed. In addition to spot checks and planned visits, Animal Health urgently follows up all complaints and allegations of poor welfare on specific farms.
Where welfare problems are found, Animal Health usually gives advice or warnings to farmers which, in most cases, results in satisfactory improvements being made. However, where necessary, Defra initiates prosecution action against farmers, sometimes in co-operation with local authorities and/or the RSPCA.
They can be contacted at your local Animal Health Divisional Office.
Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC)
FAWC (the independent body advising Ministers on farm animal welfare issues) published reports on the welfare of broiler chickens (1992) and broiler breeders (1998).
FAWCs advice to Defra on the proposed EU Council Directive on the protection of chickens kept for meat production.
Advisory leaflets and campaigns
An advisory leaflet is available on Heat
Stress in Poultry (2005)
(377 KB). Requests can be made via the contacts
page.
ADAS
Defra funds ADAS, an agricultural consultancy, to run campaigns to inform farmers about good welfare practices. Details of current campaigns are available.
Page last modified:
3 October, 2007
Page published: 5 August, 2002