A British architecture student has developed a potential system for the mass production of chickens that involves removing part of the animals' brain so they don't realise how bad their situation is.
In order to meet the huge demand for chicken meat in the United Kingdom, 800 million broiler chickens are grown in huge sheds with no natural light over six to seven weeks.
They are bred to grow faster than nature intended and so often die from heart or lung failure as the organs fail to keep up with the body.
"The Blind Chicken Solution", developed by philosopher Paul Thompson from Purdue University, argued that blind chickens did not mind being crowded together as much as normal chickens do.
He used evidence to argue blind chickens should be used in food production as a more humane solution to overcrowding in the poultry industry.
Architecture student Andre Ford developed Professor Thompson's idea even further, proposing the "Headless Chicken Solution", wired.com reports.
This involves removing the cerebral cortex of the animal, lessening its sensory perceptions so it can be produced in the crowded conditions without as much distress.
The brain stem for the chicken would remain intact so that it could still grow.
The logic behind Mr Ford's proposal was twofold — to meet the rising demand for meat and to improve the welfare of the chickens by desensitising them to the horrors of their existence.
His idea goes even further and suggests cutting off the feet of the chickens in order to pack more into the urban farms, which could hold 1000 chickens.
The lack of muscular stimulation would be solved by using electric shocks similar to those used in other lab meat experiments.
Although it seems shocking, Mr Ford argued his proposal was no worse than what goes on in the current food production industry.
"The realities of the existing systems of production are just as shocking but they are hidden behind the sentimental guise of traditional farming scenes that we as consumers hold in our minds and see in our food packaging," he said.
Mr Ford recognised the similarities between his proposed system and The Matrix but said he was unfortunately able to provide the chickens with an alternate reality as in the film.
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