The grinding of male chicks is now prohibited in the laying hen sector in France. It is estimated that around 50 million male chicks are killed each year in the country, 300 million in the EU.
Gone are the images of crushed chicks barely out of their shells. Something to delight animal defense associations, which denounced methods from another age.
The male chicks are eliminated, because in the egg production chains, you need hens, laying hens, in other words females.
Make no mistake, the male chicks will still not be allowed to live, but they will be removed in a more gentle way, that is, before hatching.
Breeders can use the technique of ovosexing. It distinguishes males from females by the coloring of their feathers, from the embryonic period.
From this Wednesday, June 1, breeders must prove that they have started to install the machines allowing this technique.
The Ministry of Agriculture concedes that the purchase of this sophisticated equipment is a heavy investment for the sector, but it reassures the breeders.
The government will put 10 million euros on the table to support the transition. For professionals, this amount is useful, but not enough.
►Read again: France will ban the grinding of chicks and castrated pigs alive