The recordings were made in March this year on two farms in eastern Poland, near Międzyrzec Podlaski and Siedlce. This region becomes another poultry breeding groundwhere a large number of industrial farms are established. Farm workers who asked to remain anonymous documented hens living in close quarters next to dead birds.
The recordings – shown by the Otwarte Klatki Association and TVN's “Uwaga” program – documented the conditions on chicken farms raised for meat. For this purpose, so-called fast-growing breeds modified by humans are used. They were created to help you gain as much weight as possible in the shortest possible time.
It takes only 42 days for them to grow from a chick to a size that is considered suitable for slaughter.
Deformed chickens on farms
– At the age of several weeks, chickens of fast-growing breeds have problems with normal movement, suffer from painful bone deformations and diseases caused by organ failure – said Sylwia Prokopiak, an investigation and intervention specialist from the Open Cages Association. The organization believes that breeders should stop using such breeds because “their breeding is inextricably linked to animal suffering.” – We are taking steps to move away from such breeds, because the published recordings clearly confirm this – she added.
The recordings show hens with clearly deformed bodies, partially deprived of feathers, and having problems with movement. They also show that hens live in tight quarters.
The recordings also show piles of dead birds in buckets and containers. One of the responsibilities of farm workers is to regularly search for dead birds – in industry jargon, “falls” – and remove them.
Katarzyna Miśkiewicz, who deals with animal welfare at Otwarte Klatka, believes that such images are “shocking, but unfortunately common.” – The poultry industry is not doing enough to improve the welfare of these animals and there is a lack of transparency with consumers. That is why it is so important that chain stores or restaurants increased the requirements for suppliers, she said.
In response to the “Notes” material with recordings revealed by Otwarte Klatki, the National Poultry Council – Chamber of Commerce issued a statement in which it was written that these materials “distort reality and present a false image of Polish farms.” “Polish poultry breeders operate in accordance with the highest Polish and EU standards. The farms are regularly inspected by the Veterinary Inspection, which guarantees production safety and high quality of meat,” we read in the press release.
In the TVN material, reporter Edyta Krześniak said that it was “the first time” in her work that she had received a “warning letter” before publication. In a letter sent to the station by the National Poultry Council, it called for “to refrain from violating personal rights” and “to withdraw the planned activities.”
Despite the journalist's attempts, the farm owners did not agree to talk to her.
Poland, the chicken coop of Europe
As we wrote in the middle of this year, data indicate that on average 2-3 industrial poultry farms are opened in Poland each month. We produce and kill billions of chickens, and half of the meat is exported. According to a report by PwC, Poland has become the third largest poultry exporter in the world, selling 1.6 million tons annually. We are second only to the United States (3.3 million tons) and Brazil (4.4 million tons).
The documents we obtained and analyzed show that from the beginning of 2023 to June this year, 32 new industrial poultry farms were established in Poland, and at least 23 are waiting for the latest approvals. We also reached information about the next few, which are currently being reviewed by commune heads and mayors. Average – almost two new farms a month. Conservative estimates show that there will be over 130 million hens living there at one time. The largest single farms can have up to 2.5 million hens at a time. We have marked new and emerging poultry farms on the map below (as of June 2024):
It sometimes happens that residents of towns where new industrial farms are being built protest and try to block them. – We don't want to be Europe's chicken coop! – a group of such people chanted in March, at a protest in front of the Chancellery Premiere. They demanded from Donald Tusk to fulfill his election promise and deal with the problem of factory farms.
He's dying. This is where eggs come from
Last year, Gazeta.pl published the film “He's dying. This is where eggs come from“, which showed the reality on one of the farms of the largest egg producer in the European Union
The recordings, made by two people employed at the farm, showed, among other things, chickens rotting for weeks next to egg conveyors and insects attacking animals and employees.