It’s a very diffused myth, something unfortunately taken for granted. But is not true. No, chickens in Italy and in all the European Union are not caged. And to confirm this, simply visit one of the 4,000 Italian farms, where all chickens and turkeys are on the ground, free to scratch about in spacious and bright environments, walking on layers of straw or wood chipboard that are absorbent and hygienic. In several cases, there are also open-air farms.

It is more than 50 years, from the early 60s, that there is no longer “battery” breeding of chicken meat. This prejudice (which involves still a good 8 out of 10 Italians) is mainly due to the legacies of the past and to an erroneous confusion between the rearing of broilers and the more diffused breeding of egg laying hens, where animals are raised no longer in batteries, but in cages modified according to the most recent Community legislation on animal welfare, so as to ensure the maximum comfort and health to the animals, together with the hygiene of eggs produced.

Next to the horizontal rules that guarantee the well-being of any animal species in the early stages of farming, transport and slaughter, there are also in force many vertical regulations, which set out the welfare requirements of each species, including egg laying hens or broilers (chicken meat).

The commitment of the poultry sector in ensuring a uniform and optimal application of these standards throughout the country has resulted in major initiatives such as the drafting of the manual “Operating procedures for the protection of poultry during transport”, in collaboration with the Italian Society of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and with the approval of the Ministry of Health. The manual “Correct practice for poultry hatcheries” is in the approval process with the same Ministry. Finally the poultry sector (Unaitalia) has promoted a number of training courses in animal welfare for farmers throughout the country, training more than 1,500 farmers.

The Sustainable Meat Project