A judge has ruled the use of standard chicken breeds are in keeping with the law, following a judicial review brought by animal welfare charities, which claimed fast growing breeds suffered health and welfare problems and should be banned.
Judge Sir Ross Cranston ruled that Defra’s policies and practices are not unlawful. Around a billion chickens are reared in the UK every year, and 90% of these chickens are fast-growing breeds.
The case was brought by The Humane League. The RSPCA provided evidence too.
Dr Marc Cooper, Head of Farm Animals at the RSPCA, claimed the charity was “extremely disappointed” and said the organisation would now lobby government to ban the use of standard breeds of chicken.