1. Farmer Giles Fields Farms Selectively Bred Chickens
“Artificial Selection is just another name for selective breeding. In the wild, natural selection weeds out animals which are not adapted to their environment.
Artificial selection may be useful to us, but it may produce animals which are more likely to suffer.
Why continue doing something that results in the suffering of innocent animals. The bodies of chickens grown for their meat grow too fast for their legs making them unable to walk, which I think is cruel”
“Look, I keep selectively bred chickens sure I understand peoples concerns, I’m not breaking any laws, and I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I think they’ve got a reasonable life. They’ve got the constant company of each other, and food and water on tap.
Supermarkets pay me to produce cheap eggs and chicken meat that’s what the customer wants, So that’s what I do.”
Farmer Giles Fields Farms Selectively Bred Chickens
Dr Sally Johnson 36 Year old Doctor with 2 children
Facts
Chickens selectively bred for meat can grow twice as quickly as regular chickens
A wild jungle chicken might only lay 20-30eggs a year, my selectively bred chickens lay over 300 a year
Facts
A third of meat chickens suffer pain whilst standing and a lot die from heart problems, since their bodies grow too fast for their hearts to keep up with.
Very few selectively bred chickens would survive in the wild
Issues
People have been selectively breeding animals for 1000’s of years, why should I stop doing it now.
The human population is increasing at a unsustainable rate, selective breeding of animals will help feed the World.
Issues
Our demand for cheap food has caused us to make our farm animals work harder often resulting in serious side effects, how can we carry on allowing this to happen?
Question
I can produce a lot of eggs and a lot of chicken meat using selectively bred chickens, if I was banned, how would I make a living out of farming?
Question
How can you put a price on the suffering of animals, surely cheaper food should be the least of our worries.

2. Farmer Gary Wilkinson Farms free range chickens
“I don’t see how we can turn a blind eye to what goes on. I mean yes, we eat stuff that comes form animals, but we should still look after them properly so they have a good life.
You wouldn't dream of keeping your dog or cat in a cage for most of their lives, so how’s it all right to do that with hens, just because you’re going to eat their eggs.”
“My chickens are reared to higher welfare standards. They’ve got more space, straw bales to peck at, natural daylight and so on.
They’re a slower-growing breed too. Well, its just good to see them doing what they want to do, and gives me more job satisfaction, to be honest.
At the end of the day, they’re happy, and I'm happy, so everyone’s a winner”
Farmer Gary Wilkinson Farms free range chickens
Steven Walker RSPCA Animal Welfare Officer
Facts
Eggs and meat from my chickens are healthier for the person eating them.
My chickens grow naturally, unlike the unnatural selectively bred chickens that grow in 50 days
Facts
2% of selectively bred chickens may end up unable to walk at all.
Each year, in the UK, over 30 million day-old chicks are killed at
birth. These are the males of egg-laying breeds.
Issues
Selective breeding means some farmers can rear a chicken in just 42 days, how can I continue to compete with their prices in the market place, whilst maintaining high welfare standards for the chickens?
Issues
Everyone has a duty to ensure animals are treated fairly, why do people think selective breeding is any different, animals are suffering, it needs to stop.
Question
What gives farmers the right to choose’?
Question
Why purposely breed animals that could end up with serious health issues?

3. Sharon Peters Mother of three – low income family
“I have got three children to support, and although I appreciate the issues surrounding selectively bred chickens, I simple can’t afford to buy free range.
Look times are hard, and as long as the food I buy is cheap, I don’t care how it’s produced or what happens to the animals it comes from.
At the end of the day my family comes first, and TV programmes trying to make me feel guilty won’t work. Its just not my problem.
“We’re finding more and more customers are asking about farm animals welfare , and choosing higher-welfare products, like those labelled Freedom Food, free-range and organic.
But in these difficult economic times we also have a duty to provide our customers with low-price options, and some people will choose them, and who can blame them.”
Sharon Peters Mother of three – low income family
Barry Murphy Manager of Qwick Buy Supermarket
Facts
Free range eggs cost £1.69 for six, whereas I can get non-free range eggs for 89p
A free range chicken can cost as much as £4 more than the meat from selectively bred chickens
Facts
Britain is the one of the largest producers of chickens in Europe, supplying 800 million an year.
1 in 8 people in Britain have low income
Issues
I need to feed my family and I have a limited budget, buying free range eggs and chicken would mean my children would have to go without elsewhere.
Issues
Without selective breeding the number of chickens and eggs being produced each year would fall dramatically, which would mean a severe price increase on these products
Question
Why can’t the supermarkets, who make millions of pounds of profit each year, make free range products cheaper?
Question
Don’t people have the right to a choice between buying more expensive free range or cheaper non-free range products?

4. Very few selectively bred chickens would survive in the wild
Look, I keep selectively bred chickens sure I understand peoples concerns, I’m not breaking any laws, and I don’t see anything wrong with it.
Artificial Selection is just another name for selective breeding. In the wild, natural selection weeds out animals which are not adapted to their environment.
I think they’ve got a reasonable life. They’ve got the constant company of each other, and food and water on tap
Why continue doing something that results in the suffering of innocent animals. The bodies of chickens grown for their meat grow too fast for their legs making them unable to walk, which I think is cruel
Supermarkets pay me to produce cheap eggs and chicken meat that’s what the customer wants, So that’s what I do.”
A third of meat chickens suffer pain whilst standing and a lot die from heart problems, since their bodies grow too fast for their hearts to keep up with.
Chickens selectively bred for meat can grow twice as quickly as regular chickens
Very few selectively bred chickens would survive in the wild
A wild jungle chicken might only lay 20-30eggs a year, my selectively bred chickens lay over 300 a year
How can you put a price on the suffering of animals, surely cheaper food should be the least of our worries.
People have been selectively breeding animals for 1000’s of years, why should I stop doing it now.
Our demand for cheap food has caused us to make our farm animals work harder often resulting in serious side effects, how can we carry on allowing this to happen?
The human population is increasing at a unsustainable rate, selective breeding of animals will help feed the World.
What gives farmers the right to choose’?
I can produce a lot of eggs and a lot of chicken meat using selectively bred chickens, if I was banned, how would I make a living out of farming?
I don’t see how we can turn a blind eye to what goes on. I mean yes, we eat stuff that comes form animals, but we should still look after them properly so they have a good life.
My chickens are reared to higher welfare standards. They’ve got more space, straw bales to peck at, natural daylight and so on.
You wouldn't dream of keeping your dog or cat in a cage for most of their lives, so how’s it all right to do that with hens, just because you’re going to eat their eggs.”
They’re a slower-growing breed too. Well, its just good to see them doing what they want to do, and gives me more job satisfaction, to be honest.
2% of selectively bred chickens may end up unable to walk at all
Eggs and meat from my chickens are healthier for the person eating them.
Each year, in the UK, over 30 million day-old chicks are killed at
birth. These are the males of egg-laying breeds.
My chickens grow naturally, unlike the unnatural selectively bred chickens that grow in 50 days
Everyone has a duty to ensure animals are treated fairly, why do people think selective breeding is any different, animals are suffering, it needs to stop.
Selective breeding means some farmers can rear a chicken in just 42 days, how can I continue to compete with their prices in the market place, whilst maintaining high welfare standards for the chickens?
Why purposely breed animals that could end up with serious health issues?
I have got three children to support, and although I appreciate the issues surrounding selectively bred chickens, I simple can’t afford to buy free range.
We’re finding more and more customers are asking about farm animals welfare , and choosing higher-welfare products, like those labelled Freedom Food, free-range and organic.
Look times are hard, and as long as the food I buy is cheap, I don’t care how it’s produced or what happens to the animals it comes from.
But in these difficult economic times we also have a duty to provide our customers with low-price options, and some people will choose them, and who can blame them
At the end of the day my family comes first, and TV programmes trying to make me feel guilty won’t work. Its just not my problem.
Britain is the one of the largest producers of chickens in Europe, supplying 800 million an year.
Free range eggs cost £1.69 for six, whereas I can get non-free range eggs for 89p
1 in 8 people in Britain have low income
A free range chicken can cost as much as £4 more than the meat from selectively bred chickens
Without selective breeding the number of chickens and eggs being produced each year would fall dramatically, which would mean a severe price increase on these products
I need to feed my family and I have a limited budget, buying free range eggs and chicken would mean my children would have to go without elsewhere.
Don’t people have the right to a choice between buying more expensive free range or cheaper non-free range products?
Why can’t the supermarkets, who make millions of pounds of profit each year, make free range products cheaper?