‘It’s absolutely dire’: why UK chicken farmers want to call it a day

Bird flu, higher costs and the rise of meat-free options are pushing poultry producers to reduce flocks or give up entirely

James Mottershead's family has been in the chicken farming business for two decades, but nothing compares with the current situation. Absolutely dire," is his summary.

Based in Shropshire and operating from six vast sheds that churn out 1.3m chickens a year, the business has been hit by a cocktail of pressures.