We demand that no animal should be deliberately mutilated: its tail or beak chopped short; its body so overstretched it cannot stand straight. Yet, painful injuries, deformities and fractures are commonly seen in broiler chickens: They often go untreated. In today’s commercial farms, broiler chickens which are reared to slaughter weight in just 40 days. At this age, they are still immature chicks, although they look like giant adults. This fast-growing breed of chicken quickly develops large, heavy bodies which put immense pressure on their hearts, lungs and legs. For many chickens, this is simply too much, and heart failure and leg fractures are extremely common.  Lameness can make a broiler’s life miserable, as their broken or injured legs mean that they struggle to reach food and water and suffer extreme pain as they try to move about.

It doesn’t have to be like this. Slow-growing broiler breeds allow chickens to develop at a more normal pace. This means that their legs can grow normally, and their hearts and lungs are not put under too much stress. Slow-growing breeds can also benefit from free-range systems where they can move around freely, and perform natural behaviours in the fresh air.

Fish are increasingly farmed for food, but the lack of legal protection has meant that they often suffer greatly. Farmed fish are often kept in overcrowded cages, are handled regularly, and are in the process of being bred for growth over any other function, all of which cause considerable stress and health issues. In overcrowded conditions fish are more likely to incur injuries from fighting and from bumping into one another and equipment, and water quality conditions are degraded. Stressed fish are highly susceptible to diseases, and in overcrowded conditions these transmit easily and can cause prolonged death.

Farmed fish can be raised humanely. When housed in appropriate numbers and with best practice protocols, they are less likely to have health problems arise from their housing or handling conditions. Humanely raised fish have stronger immune systems and are less likely to experience disease outbreaks. For good health, fish need space and clean water so that they can swim freely, perform natural behaviours, and avoid disease and injuries.