Chicken farming usually begins with the chicks hatching in machines, which means they never get to meet their mother or other adult individuals. After hatching, the dead and injured chicks are sorted out for culling, otherwise it is a risk that the healthy chicks will eat the dead and injured due to their lack of food. The surviving chicks are then transported to large rearing facilities.

The chickens are housed indoors alongside tens of thousands of other individuals, with their only activities being eating and drinking. This setup usually permits a high density of up to 25 chickens per square meter, which is even more crowded than the conditions for caged hens in the egg industry.

Approximately, 80 % of all chickens in the EU are so-called Frankenchickens, bred to grow quickly and develop large breast muscles for meat production. This rapid growth causes many chickens to experience pain, become ill, and die prematurely, even before reaching slaughter age at 35–42 days. A Swedish study from 2019 showed that impaired mobility is 30 times more common in Frankenchickens than in other chickens, meaning they have difficulty walking and likely experience pain.

The parents of Frankenchickens must grow older to produce fertilized eggs. These parents are bred for the same rapid growth rate and must be fed restrictively to avoid the same problems as their offspring. This leads to both the risk for mobility issues and hunger. In addition to hunger, the amount of water has previously been limited for the parent animals so they do not quell their hunger with too much water.

Frankenchickens live for 35-42 days, or five weeks, before they are slaughtered. However, many chickens die before reaching this age, both on the farm due to diseases, stress, and leg problems, and during transport. Annually, around 100 million chickens die during transport in the EU, which is more than any other animal species. Many wings and heads get crushed in the cramped transport crates. Chickens need to eat about twice an hour, but they are not given access to food or water during transport or at the slaughterhouse.

At the slaughterhouses, chickens are stunned either with electricity or gas. During the critizised method electrical stunning, the chickens are hung upside down by their feet while still fully conscious. This is very uncomfortable and painful for them, especially for those already suffering from leg pain. Hanging upside down, the birds' heads are lowered into an electrified water bath to be stunned by an electric shock, which often fails, before their throats are cut and they bleed to death.

Researchers at the University of Padua, Italy, discovered that chickens can count and perform simple calculations. Newly hatched chicks were raised with five plastic toys. When the researchers hid three toys behind one screen and two behind another, the chicks approached the screen with the most toys. They also tested the chicks' memory and ability to add and subtract by moving the toys between the screens. The chicks demonstrated their counting ability by understanding how many objects were behind each screen and preferred the screen with the most objects. Counting is a skill often associated with more intelligent animals like chimpanzees and dogs. Surprisingly, in some counting tests, chickens have outperformed young children.

Chickens are skilled communicators and use at least 30 different sounds to talk to each other, warn of danger, and share information about food. Hens are very protective and train their chicks to recognize food and predators. Roosters dance to attract hens and warn the flock of predators. They keep watch over the ground and sky, call out signs of danger, and fight to protect the flock.

Just like humans, chickens have different personalities. Some are brave and bold, while others are shy and cautious. These personalities help them establish a "pecking order" within the flock, which usually consists of about 15 birds. The bolder birds do more often peck at submissive birds, chasing them away, or stealing their food. More submissive birds do not peck back but often run away. When a new bird joins the flock or one leaves, the order must be reestablished. This system helps keep the flock safe and organized.

Chickens love to jump, run, chase each other, and play. These activities help them stay active and stimulated.

Perching is also part of their natural behaviors. Their wild ancestors would fly up to tree branches to rest safely and protect the chicks under their wings. Today's domesticated chickens still prefer to rest under their mother's wings and to climb or fly up to perches and branches to rest at higher elevations. This gives them a sense of security and comfort.

Project 1882 works to give these amazing animals a better life. Chickens are the most exploited and suffer the worst of all land animals. They deserve so much better than the lives they have today. Speak up for the chickens, choose to leave them off your plate, and support Project 1882's work for the chickens.