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Photo: Peter Endig / dpa
The massive killing of male chicks in laying hens in Germany must end this Saturday.
After years of discussion, a ban will come into effect on January 1, 2022, which will be further tightened in a second stage from 2024.
The problem: Every year more than 40 million male chicks in Germany are routinely killed shortly after hatching because they are not economically viable for hatcheries: They do not lay eggs and do not put on as much meat.
Sometimes there is talk of "shredding", but the chicks are usually killed with gas.
The Federal Administrative Court ruled in 2019 that animal welfare issues outweigh the economic interests of the hen breeders and declared the practice to be permissible only for a transitional period.
In future, the Animal Welfare Act will say: "It is forbidden to kill chicks of domestic chickens of the Gallus gallus species." Exceptions are measures in the event of animal diseases or animal experiments.
On January 1, 2024, sex determination in the egg will be tightened.
Then only methods that work earlier are allowed - interventions from the 7th day of incubation are taboo.
The background is that embryos then feel pain, as the ministry explained.
Processes that work between the 9th and the 14th day are currently ready for the market.
It takes a total of 21 days for chicks to hatch.
The chairman of the Federal Egg Association, Henner Schönecke, told the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" that the tightening of gender determination was a "birth defect" of the law.
The requirements are not yet met by any technology that has already been used.
"No hatchery is now investing millions in a system that may no longer be used from 2024." The second stage of the law should therefore be suspended.
It can already be observed that more cheaper eggs from abroad are being used for processed goods.
The German Animal Welfare Association called the ban long overdue.
Most consumers, however, are not aware that even for eggs that are marketed by retailers with the indication "without killing chicks", embryos or even chicks that are sensitive to pain will still be killed by 2024.
Are hatcheries moving abroad?
In addition to the animal owners, supermarkets and processors will now also be important when making the switch.
Many retail chains had already reacted in advance and announced that they would only offer eggs in their range without killing chicks, explained the ministry.
The law shows that animal welfare and economic efficiency go hand in hand.
"We are thus preventing the hatcheries from migrating abroad and then importing eggs from countries for which such an exit does not yet play a role."
In addition to sex determination in the egg, another option is to breed “dual-purpose chickens”: female chicks grow into laying hens, but they do not lay as many eggs.
Male chicks are raised for fattening, but gain weight more slowly.
mamk / dpa
