// The High Court will consider a case looking into whether farmers should be allowed to keep and sell franken-chickens
// The case will look at evidence that shows that chickens suffer from pain due to how they have been bred
A court case to consider whether UK supermarkets should be allowed to sell fast-growing ‘franken-chickens’ has taken place today (May 3) and will continue tomorrow (May 4).
Animal rights campaigners from the group Humane League have taken the issue to the High Court with evidence that shows that the chickens suffer from chronic pain, with some birds unable to stand.
The franken-chickens, which are so named because of their unnaturally large size, grow up to 400 times faster than chickens in the 1950s.
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The Humane League has previously criticised retailers including McDonalds, Morrisons and Tesco among others for selling the animals.
“We have beaten the odds to present the horrific lives of fast-growing chickens to the High Court in full, and will strongly make the case that keeping these birds is wholly unlawful,” said Humane League UK campaign manager Claire Williams after the judicial review was granted in September 2022.
These photos reveal the harrowing scenes that undercover investigators found when they visited a UK egg farm.
It’s @GOVUK‘s responsibility to end this suffering. #CluckOffRishi
📸 | @OpenCagesUK pic.twitter.com/eZgg8GjAGj
— The Humane League UK (@humaneleagueuk) April 15, 2023
The group will be joined by the animal charity RSPCA, which will also give evidence.
The campaigners are also calling on retailers to sign the Better Chicken Commitment, which holds businesses to improved welfare standards.
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