Between 1935 and 1995, the poultry industry experienced significant transformations, with broiler chickens becoming larger and more efficiently produced. The average weight of these birds rose by 65%, while the time needed to raise them to market size decreased by 60%. Additionally, their feed requirements saw a remarkable drop of 57%, reflecting the advancements in breeding and farming practices.

To illustrate the extent of this change, Jonathan Safran Foer makes a striking comparison: envisioning children growing to a weight of 300 pounds within just a decade, all the while consuming only minimal nutrition. This analogy highlights not only the rapid growth rates and reduced resource needs of modern broilers but also raises critical questions about the implications of such intense agricultural productivity on health and ethics.