On Tuesday, the Danish channel TV2 broadcast images filmed by a hidden camera at one of Denmark's largest chicken producers. The report showed that the chickens only benefited from three hours of darkness per day, while regulations require a minimum of six hours.
With only three hours of darkness per day, stressed birds eat more and thus reach a higher slaughter weight. Animal welfare was a key issue in March's parliamentary elections in Denmark, a country known for its intensive pork production.
These species are genetically selected to have ultra-rapid growth. Last week, Denmark also announced it would end mink farming, after having long been the world's leading exporter of mink skins for the luxury market.
The animal rights association L214, which campaigns against this strain of chickens, details that their growth is four times faster than in 1950. This causes limb malformations, heart and respiratory diseases, and even disproportionate muscular development.