High Court judges will later hear an appeal that could change the way the nation’s favorite meat is produced.

According to the RSPCA, ninety percent of all chickens in UK supermarkets are of the fast-growing breed, genetically selected for their rapid growth.

The Humane League of Great Britain (THLUK) is challenging a court decision in 2023 which ruled that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was not breaking the law by allowing their continued use.

THLUK claims the birds, which campaigners call “Frankenzkens”, are illegal because they suffer “horrible suffering” due to their genetic selection. Defra is unable to comment due to legal proceedings.

THLUK’s Liam Hodgson, who previously worked as a quality manager for a major poultry producer in Lincolnshire, said he was “disappointed” by the attempt to improve welfare standards in the industry.

He explained that the birds are called “Frankenkoors” because they have been genetically selected over decades to produce as much meat as possible with as little feed as possible in the shortest possible time.

They reach slaughter weight within 34–36 days, with growth rates said to be 12 weeks faster than 50 years ago.

Mr Hodgson said he had witnessed a wide range of health and wellbeing problems due to the rate of growth, “including lameness, dislocated hips, heart attacks and burns from lying in one’s own urine and faeces”.

Undercover footage filmed in 2023 shows the condition of birds at a legally compliant poultry farm.

The RSPCA’s Kate Parkes supports judges by acting as a facilitator, providing “hard scientific evidence” to help them make decisions.

Ms Parkes told the BBC the inspection of farms producing so-called “sausage” poultry was an “eye-opener”.

She said: “The scale of suffering associated with meat chickens is enormous – we’re talking about almost a billion chickens every year who live short, cruel lives with serious health and welfare problems that could easily be avoided.”

“A standard supermarket chicken grows so fast that if we genetically bred humans in the same way, it would be equivalent to a morbidly obese 28-pound three-year-old—a striking image that really hits home why these chickens are nicknamed Frankenchickens.”

The RSPCA’s position is that fast-growing breeds should be phased out and replaced with slow-growing alternatives.

Following Judge Sir Ross Cranston’s decision in May 2023 to dismiss the original THLUK case, Defra said the government welcomed the decision and added: “Farm animals are protected by strict animal health and welfare laws, which include detailed requirements on how they must be preserved .

“We will continue to work with the agricultural sector to maintain and improve our high standards.”

The appeal should take up to two days in the High Court in London.

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