Germany and France are pushing for an EU-wide end to the mass killing of chicks in laying hen farming.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir told the German Press Agency: "In Europe, hundreds of millions of male chicks are still killed every year." It is time to finally put a stop to this across Europe. In Germany, the practice has been history since the beginning of the year, and the ban was also high time. "An EU-wide ban would be a quantum leap for animal welfare in Europe and ensures fair competitive conditions," said the Green politician.
At the deliberations of the EU agriculture ministers this Monday, Germany and France want to introduce a joint declaration, as the ministry announced in Berlin. The initiative aims to include a ban on killing male chicks in the revision of European animal welfare legislation that the EU Commission has announced for the coming year. It is therefore already supported by several other member states.
Özdemir said: "Killing newborn chicks because they are the wrong sex is no longer what European consumers expect." Alternatives have long been there.
Male chicks are not supposed to hatch in the first place
In Germany, a ban on killing chicks has been in effect since January 1, 2022, which the previous federal government had stipulated. Instead, methods are to be used to identify the sex in the egg and to prevent male chicks from hatching in the first place. A second stage of the law will follow from the beginning of 2024. Only methods that work earlier are then permitted for sex determination - interventions are taboo from the 7th day of incubation. The background is that embryos then have a sense of pain, as the ministry explained. It takes a total of 21 days for chicks to hatch.
In Germany, more than 40 million male chicks were routinely killed shortly after hatching every year because they are not economically viable for hatcheries. Because they don't lay eggs and don't put on as much meat. There is some talk of "shredding", but the chicks are usually killed with gas.
Animal welfare outweighs economic interests
The Animal Welfare Act stipulates that no one may cause pain, suffering or harm to an animal "without good reason". As early as 2019, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that animal welfare concerns outweigh the economic interests of hen breeders and only declared the practice permissible for a transitional period.
The industry had warned of disadvantages in competition when the ban came into force - for example if cheaper eggs from abroad are used in processed goods such as cakes or pasta. The topic is also being considered in some other EU countries. France wants to stop the killing of chicks by the end of the year. In addition to sex determination in the egg, there is another option, as explained by the Ministry of Agriculture. When breeding "dual-purpose" hens, female chicks grow into laying hens, but they don't lay as many eggs. Male chicks are raised for fattening but gain weight more slowly.
