An undercover investigation by Animal Liberation NSW

Serious Welfare Concerns

  • The footage obtained from these operations include images of chickens rendered lame due to drug use, broken bones, open wounds and severe overcrowding in sheds. Animal Liberation has footage from day old chicks to broilers ready for slaughter. This footage reveals the lifelong suffering of these animals.
  • Food samples (pelletized grain feed) from these operations were tested at independent laboratories. Several samples tested positive for Nicarbazin and Salinomycin. These drugs have the effect of accelerating the growth rate of the birds and preventing them from getting diseases due to living in litter with a concentrated build-up of faeces.
  • Animal Liberation has demonstrated the dramatic weight differences between broilers and rescued chickens. The footage shows crippling caused by chickens' bodies growing faster than their natural development. The weight of their bloated breasts and thighs are too much for their skeletal frames.
  • A veterinarian inspection of the rescued birds found severe trauma and breakages as well as an inability for them to move or stand naturally due to their rapid growth. The avian veterinarian was interviewed on film while treating the rescued broiler chickens and outlined the major health issues directly caused by intensive husbandry practices common across the three largest supplying companies in Australia.
  • This Animal Liberation exposé of the cruel broiler chicken industry uncovers new footage documenting chicken's life from day-old to slaughter and demonstrates the accumulative decline of chickens. The use of antibiotic-type drugs, extensive artificial lighting, controlled feeding and breeding programs all contribute to the suffering documented.
  • This titan of animal abuse is systemic, as can be seen by recent footage obtained from the three major chicken meat companies in Australia.