The egg industry has been systematically killing male chicks soon after hatching, but some countries have already banned this practice

If there is one practice that encapsulates the quiet violence of the egg industry, it is the systematic killing of male chicks. This is not an occasional or accidental by-product of animal exploitation, but a built-in feature of an industry that ruthlessly exploits hens to provide eggs to meat-eaters and vegetarians — and people who may use other products containing egg fats or proteins.

Every year, billions of newly hatched chicks are killed worldwide simply because they are male. In the egg industry, hens have been selectively bred to produce unnaturally high numbers of eggs, but their male counterparts do not lay eggs, and they are not suitable for flesh production either, as they do not grow fast enough to be profitable. As a result, they are deemed “waste” from the moment they emerge from their shells.

The methods used to kill them are industrial, mechanised, and disturbingly routine. The most common are maceration (where chicks are dropped into high-speed grinders) and gassing ( where they are suffocated in carbon dioxide). These methods are often defended as being “humane” under industry standards, but such language merely sanitises what is, in essence, the deliberate mass killing of healthy newly-hatched animals because they are economically inconvenient.

However, in recent years, public awareness has grown, and some governments have begun to respond. A handful of countries have taken steps to ban the mass killing of male chicks, forcing the industry to adapt.

Germany, the First to Break with this Horrific Tradition

Germany became the first country in the world to ban the mass killing of male chicks. The ban came into force in January 2022, following years of public debate, legal challenges, and pressure from animal protection advocates. Before the ban, Germany was responsible for killing an estimated 45 million male chicks annually.

The legal shift did not happen overnight. In 2019, Germany’s Federal Administrative Court ruled that the economic interests of the egg industry were not sufficient justification for killing male chicks. However, the court allowed the practice to continue temporarily, arguing that alternatives were not yet fully viable at scale. This transitional period created a window for technological development and industry adjustment, leading to the eventual full ban.

Germany’s approach did not abolish the exploitation of chickens — far from it — but it forced the industry to confront one of its most ethically indefensible practices. To comply with the ban, hatcheries and egg producers began adopting alternative methods:

• In-ovo sexing technology: This involves determining the sex of the chick while still inside the egg, typically within the first days of incubation. Eggs identified as male are removed before they hatch, preventing the need to kill live chicks after hatching. However, this still raises ethical concerns, as it involves the destruction of developing embryos.
• Dual-purpose breeds: These are chicken breeds where both males and females can be used — females for egg production and males for flesh. While this reduces the immediate “waste” problem, it perpetuates the exploitation of both sexes, simply redistributing harm rather than eliminating it.
• Extended rearing of male chicks: In some cases, male chicks are raised for meat despite lower profitability. This is often marketed as a more “ethical” option, though it still results in their eventual slaughter.

Germany’s ban is therefore best understood not as a solution, but as a shift in how the same underlying system operates. It demonstrates that legal frameworks can reduce specific harms, but as long as animals are treated as commodities, new forms of exploitation will emerge to replace the old ones.

Other Countries Following Suit

After Germany took the first step, other countries began to follow, driven by a combination of public pressure, ethical concern, and the desire to align with evolving animal welfare standards.

France was among the earliest to act. In 2023, it implemented a ban on the killing of male chicks, requiring hatcheries to adopt in-ovo sexing technologies. The French government also provided financial support to help the industry transition, recognising that technological change would be necessary to meet the new legal requirements.

Italy, Austria and Luxembourg have also moved in the same direction, passing legislation to prohibit the practice, with implementation timelines allowing producers to adapt. Like Germany and France, these countries have leaned heavily on in-ovo sexing as the primary alternative.

Some countries have passed partial bans. The Belgian region of Wallonia has banned the gassing of male chicks, and Switzerland has banned live shredding, but not all killing methods.

Other European countries have signalled intentions or taken partial steps. Some have introduced labelling schemes to inform consumers whether eggs are produced without killing male chicks, while others have funded research into alternatives. These measures reflect a growing acknowledgement that the status quo is ethically problematic, even within non-vegan frameworks.

Countries Considering a Ban

Several countries have not yet banned the mass killing of male chicks, but are actively discussing or exploring the possibility.

In the UK, the issue has gained increasing attention. While there is currently no ban in place, there have been calls for legislative action, and some retailers have begun offering eggs produced using in-ovo sexing technologies. However, without a legal requirement, adoption remains inconsistent.

The Netherlands has been a key player in developing in-ovo sexing technology and has made significant progress in reducing chick culling, though a full legal ban has not yet been universally implemented. Instead, industry-led initiatives have driven change, which raises questions about accountability and enforcement.

Other countries, both within and beyond Europe, are monitoring these developments. As technologies become more accessible and public awareness continues to grow, the pressure to act is likely to increase. 

However, it is important to recognise the limitations of these changes. While they reduce the number of live chicks being killed post-hatching, they do not challenge the core assumption that chickens exist for human use. The industry remains intact, and the cycle of breeding, confinement, and eventual slaughter continues.

The Egg Industry Should Be Abolished, Not Reformed

These reforms may also create a false sense of resolution, allowing consumers to feel more comfortable participating in an exploitative system that has merely shifted its methods. This is why they are supported by animal welfare organisations, but not necessarily by animal rights or vegan organisations. 

The question is not simply how male chicks are killed, or whether they are killed before or after hatching. The real question is why they are bred into existence in the first place, only to be used, discarded, or destroyed based on human interests. Until that question is addressed, bans on chick killing will remain partial measures. They may reduce visible cruelty, but they do not dismantle the underlying system that makes such cruelty inevitable. The growing number of countries taking action shows that change is possible. It reveals cracks in the ideological structure of carnism, where practices once accepted as normal are increasingly questioned and challenged. However, if we are serious about minimising our blood footprint — not just reducing it or shifting it out of sight — then we must look beyond reforms and towards a complete abolition of animal agriculture, which is what the vegan paradigm aims for.