Image source: We Animals Media
CRUEL
CHICKEN HANDLING
IN THE UK
Under the The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, which transposes Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 from the EU, it was strictly forbidden to lift chickens by their legs during transport and related operations. However, despite this clear provision, the Government permitted this harmful practice in its codes of practice. We challenged this in Court.
However, after we challenged it in Court, the government proceeded to dilute the law instead of amending the codes of practice.
In late July 2025, the government introduced an amendment to exempt chickens and turkeys from the legal protections afforded to them by the law. This is the first dilution of animal welfare legislation post Brexit.
The amendment has made it legal to catch these birds by both legs, even though there is clear evidence that this causes suffering and upright catching is better for their welfare. Prior to tabling the amendment, the Government stated “We recognise that there is much evidence to suggest that upright catching by the body is the optimum handling method to directly minimise welfare harms” but went on to cite concerns that a transition to upright catching may not be feasible in commercial settings.
But we are fighting back.
For decades, despite legislation prohibiting the practice, the government’s codes of practice for chickens bred for meat and eggs explicitly allowed handling chickens by their legs. In light of this, The Animal Law Foundation began legal proceedings against the government’s codes of practice. We were given permission to proceed with the judicial review by the High Court in July. The judge also gave us permission to amend our grounds to challenge the lawfulness of the consultation and change in law to permit the handling of chickens by their legs.
In August 2025, we amended our grounds and are now challenging the way the UK government diluted the law. We argue that the consultation exercise, which paved the way for the change in law, was unfair. On 19 September 2025, the High Court granted permission to proceed on our amended grounds as well.
Source: We Animals Media
During transportation to slaughter, chickens bred for meat and eggs on British farms are often grabbed by one leg, held upside down with several chickens in one hand, and stuffed into crates.
This cruel practice is evidenced in the recent investigation by Animal Justice Project, with catchers on a farm seemingly grabbing as many as 5 distressed chickens in each hand.
Handling chickens by their legs results in:
Broken bones, dislocations, bruising and severe pain
The inability to breathe as chickens lack a diaphragm to keep their organs away from their lungs
Prolonged and intense stress
This is all in the name of minimal savings. Data from the Dutch animal protection organisation Eyes on Animals shows that the cost for eggs only increases by € 0.0004 per egg when using the upright handling method.
It is time to hold the UK Government accountable and demand action
Join us in ending the harmful handling of chickens in the UK. Together, we can make a significant impact, protect the welfare of these fragile birds, and uphold the values of compassion and justice for all animals.
Stand with us and the chickens who so desperately need your help now
TAKE ACTION NOW
Your support is crucial in achieving our goals.
Donate to help us challenge the government in court. The hearing will take place in February 2026.
If successful, the government’s dilution of legal protections for chickens could be quashed and the harmful practice of handling chickens by their legs could become illegal again.
Help us change the lives of billions of chickens by donating today.