Improving animal welfare for meat chickens

Every year more than 120 million meat chickens are farmed in New Zealand. The Code of Welfare for Meat Chickens sets out the minimum standards of care required for chickens farmed commercially in all farming systems (free-range and barn).

SPCA Certified has animal welfare standards for both free range and barn raised meat chickens that ensure animal welfare is improved by exceeding the minimum legal requirements laid out in the Code of Welfare.

One of the ways SPCA Certified standards for meat chickens work to improve animal welfare is to focus on providing meat chickens with opportunities to engage in situations that result in positive animal welfare outcomes. Provision of good animal welfare is about ensuring the many different aspects of the farming system and the animals’ requirements are kept top-of-mind to provide for their behavioural, physical, and mental needs. Our standards ensure more space inside the shed allowing meat chickens to display their natural behaviour, the provision of platforms for perching and roosting and access to enrichment items to peck and explore.

In addition, all member farms are independently audited extensively every year. Under the Code of Welfare, animal welfare audits are not required for meat chickens.

At SPCA Certified we believe in making it easier for consumers to know what they are buying and how to support better welfare. The infographic below compares welfare requirements for meat chickens under the Code of Welfare and SPCA Certified standards. See how the different standards compare in terms of meat chicken health and behaviour, housing, outdoor access, and consumer assurances for free range and barn raised meat chickens.