UK Heatwave could threaten over 1.5 million chickens daily on factory farms this summer

As temperatures are set to soar across the UK, World Animal Protection reveals a stark reality. Over 1.5 million chickens face the horrific fate of being "cooked alive" each day in factory farms. Our latest report called ‘Cooked alive: The agony of heatwaves for chickens in UK factory farms, sheds light on the horrific conditions endured by more than 126 million chickens housed in nearly 1,100 factory farms nationwide. 

 Read our report

Factory farms, where chickens are confined to spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper, present a grim picture during heatwaves. Unable to escape the heat or each other’s body heat, chickens cannot sweat, and rely on panting to cool themselves down. However, this natural cooling mechanism doesn’t work in the face of extreme temperatures, leading to premature deaths that cut short their already very brief lives.

The report underscores that beyond the heightened risk of premature death, heatwaves exacerbate conditions like hock burns, affecting an increasing number of chickens annually. Over 1 billion chickens in the UK are forecasted to suffer from this painful leg injury each year due to exposure to ammonia from crowded and unsanitary conditions on factory farms. Respiratory issues such as bronchitis are also a huge issue as ammonia fumes intensify with rising temperatures.

With 95% of chickens bred for meat in the UK confined to factory farms, the trend is worsening. Factory farming has increased by 13% over the past five years, amplifying the suffering of these sentient beings during heatwaves and throughout their short lives. 

Lindsay Duncan, UK Farming Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection, says:  

 “Millions of chickens are literally cooked alive in UK factory farms for every day there is a heatwave. This agonising death could be avoided if factory farms would consider the welfare of these sentient animals.  

 “Chickens kept in factory farms are bred to grow too quickly, making them literally incapable of dealing with the heat, as opposed to other breeds. As temperatures rise, these broiler chickens have no choice but to suffocate to their deaths.  

 “Our changing climate is highlighting there is truly no future for factory farming.  We are urging people to sign our petition to stop new factory farms being built and preventing the expansion of these hellish places. The government must stop greenlighting new factory farms.”