Why Billions of Male Chicks Are Killed Every Year
Behind closed doors, millions of male chicks are destroyed each year because they can't lay eggs. Few know this hidden cruelty, but it’s the norm across egg farms worldwide.
Image: human.cruelties
From the moment they hatch, billions of male chicks face a heartbreaking fate at the hands of the egg industry—one that most people remain unaware of.
Denied even the most basic rights, these innocent beings symbolize a tragic aspect of food production that demands ethical scrutiny. Despite being one of the most criticized practices, male chick culling remains widespread worldwide. Here are the essential facts everyone should know.
The Numbers Are Staggering
Each year, millions of male chicks are killed in secret, behind the scenes:
260 million in the USA
12.8 million in Canada
330 million in the European Union
12 million in Australia
These staggering numbers reflect the egg industry’s systemic disregard for life, as male chicks are discarded simply because they don’t serve a profit-driven purpose.
How Are Male Chicks Killed?
The methods used to kill male chicks are as shocking as their scale. While some may imagine peaceful euthanasia, the truth is far more brutal. Here’s a look at the methods approved in different regions:
USA: The most common method is maceration, where chicks are dropped into machines with rotating blades that grind them up alive. Other methods include carbon dioxide gassing or freezing embryos before hatching.
Canada: Similar to the US, male chicks in Canada are killed using anesthetic overdose, decapitation, gas inhalation, manual cervical dislocation, or maceration.
European Union: According to EU regulations, male chicks up to 72 hours old are culled using maceration or gassing.
Australia: The Australian egg industry also relies on carbon dioxide gassing and maceration, with industry guidelines stating that chicks must be killed “within a second” using these methods.
Although maceration is described as immediate and with minimal pain, the reality is much darker. Malfunctioning equipment—such as slow rotation of blades or overloading of machines—can result in chicks not being killed instantly. This leads to unimaginable suffering, as chicks may remain conscious, in pain, and distressed during the process.
Why Are They Killed?
If these facts and figures shocked you, you might be wondering: where do all these male chicks come from? After all, the eggs in the supermarket are unfertilized. While this is true, many consumers fail to connect the dots to the hens on egg farms, who also had to hatch from somewhere.
This brings us to a part of the egg industry that is almost never talked about or investigated: breeder farms, or parent flocks. These facilities consist of male and female chickens kept in large barns, closely confined to produce fertilized eggs. The goal is to hatch female chicks that will grow up to lay eggs for consumers. However, by nature, about 50% of these eggs will result in male chicks.
Once these male chicks are hatched, they face a dire fate. Since they cannot lay eggs and are not bred for meat production, they are deemed economically worthless and are culled shortly after birth. This grim reality highlights a troubling dilemma within the egg industry: profit takes precedence over life. The millions of male chicks killed each year are a tragic consequence of a system designed to maximize efficiency and profits, where innocent lives are discarded without a second thought.
Are There Alternatives?
As concerns about animal welfare grow, the industry and welfare initiatives have proposed alternatives like dual-purpose breeds and in-ovo sexing to address the ethical implications of egg production. Dual-purpose breeds aim to produce both eggs and meat, allowing for a more balanced approach to farming. Meanwhile, in-ovo sexing enables producers to identify and discard male fertilized eggs before they hatch.
However, both approaches still lead to the slaughter of these animals. Even if we eliminate the killing of male chicks through these adjustments, and even if all hens were raised in cage-free environments, the suffering would persist. The underlying issues in egg production—such as the manipulation of hens’ bodies for maximum egg production—remain unaddressed.
It’s Time to Reconsider Our Choices
The suffering of the male chick is just one of many horrors in the egg production process. The industry creates an endless cycle of pain, exploitation, and death that traps billions of hens around the world.
Every time we choose to consume eggs, we are endorsing an industry that profits from unimaginable cruelty. But we can change that. Every meal is an opportunity to decide kindness over cruelty, compassion over tradition. By choosing not to consume eggs, you can directly stop supporting the cruelty and suffering caused by the egg industry.
Thankfully, there are many plant-based alternatives to eggs that allow you to enjoy all the foods you love—without contributing to animal suffering. From chickpea flour to aquafaba and flaxseed, leaving eggs off your plate has never been easier.
Sources & Further Reading
Article Sources:
USA
https://animalequality.org/campaign/stop-killing-chicks/
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/Guidelines-on-Euthanasia-2020.pdf
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/avma-guidelines-euthanasia-animals
Canada
https://animaljustice.ca/blog/2022-canada-slaughter-statistics
https://www.nfacc.ca/poultry-code-of-practice#appendixB
EU
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2022/739246/EPRS_ATA(2022)739246_EN.pdf
https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/282145000169168
Australia
https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-happens-with-male-chicks-in-the-egg-industry/
https://animalsaustralia.org/our-work/factory-farming/reality-egg-production-chick-shredding/
Further Reading:
Culling Alternatives: In-ovo Sexing
Where do the eggs in the hatcheries come from: Parent Flocks
How to Replace Eggs: Recipes and Resources
Ready to Go Vegan? Vegan Bootcamp
Should Ethical Vegetarians Eat Eggs?
While eggs may seem less harmful than meat, the truth is that they are a key product of an industry that views chickens as commodities, not living beings.
Eggs are often seen as a gray area in vegetarian diets—while meat is typically off the plate, eggs somehow manage to stay.
For many vegetarians, eggs are an easy source of protein and a convenient part of daily meals. But for those who strive to live compassionately, can eating eggs really align with ethical values? The truth is, the egg industry thrives on cruelty and exploitation, no matter the label on the carton. By the end of this post, we’ll explore whether ethical vegetarians should continue eating eggs—and why anyone committed to reducing harm may want to reconsider their choice.
Why Are You Vegetarian?
Many people become vegetarian for moral reasons, driven by a desire to reduce animal suffering. Ethical vegetarians believe that animals should not be killed or exploited for food, recognizing that animals have a right to live free from harm. The decision to avoid meat is rooted in the belief that no sentient being should be treated as a mere resource for human consumption.
However, vegetarianism is also common for other reasons—health, environmental sustainability, or simply personal preference. But whether the choice is moral or not, it’s important to understand how the egg industry fits into this conversation and why even those who became vegetarian for non-moral reasons might want to start thinking about the ethical implications of eggs.
What makes it so Hard to Ditch Eggs?
For many vegetarians, eggs are a dietary staple. They’re convenient, found in countless recipes, and often seen as essential for protein. The idea of baking without eggs or skipping an easy omelet can seem overwhelming. But this struggle is very common—many vegetarians hold onto eggs because they’ve been taught to believe they’re irreplaceable. And socially, eggs are still widely accepted as “harmless,” even in ethical discussions.
There’s also the convenience factor—eggs are easy, quick, and familiar. For someone who’s already made the leap to stop eating meat, giving up eggs can feel like one more challenge. But studies show that overcoming this hurdle is possible, and today’s plant-based alternatives make it easier than ever.
The Dark Reality of Eggs: The Cruelty Behind Every Carton
Here’s the difficult truth: eggs aren’t as innocent as they appear. The industry thrives on killing. Male chicks, unable to lay eggs and therefore seen as useless, are killed by the billions every year—often through brutal methods like being ground up alive or suffocated. This practice happens regardless of whether the eggs are labeled “free-range,” “organic,” or “cage-free”.
Even the hens who do lay eggs live short, miserable lives. They are bred to lay far more eggs than their bodies are naturally capable of, leading to exhaustion, physical breakdown, and suffering. Once their egg production declines, they are sent to slaughter. The label on the carton doesn’t change this—these animals are still viewed as commodities, and when they’re no longer profitable, they are killed. For a deeper dive into the hidden horrors behind egg labels, read more here.
Why Every Vegetarian Should Care
For those who became vegetarian for health or environmental reasons, it’s worth asking—does supporting an industry built on suffering really align with these goals? Eggs are often seen as a “neutral” option, but they’re anything but. The environmental impact of egg production includes resource-intensive farming practices and the pollution caused by industrial-scale facilities. And from a health perspective, eggs are high in cholesterol and saturated fat—both of which can have long-term negative effects on health.
Beyond health and sustainability, there’s a deeper moral question: Do animals deserve to suffer for convenience? Even if moral concerns weren’t part of the initial decision to go vegetarian, the realities of the egg industry provide compelling reasons to reconsider. Compassion, after all, is a value that transcends dietary choices—it’s about recognizing the right of animals to live without exploitation.
Should Ethical Vegetarians Eat Eggs?
The answer is clear: No, ethical vegetarians should not eat eggs. The egg industry, no matter the label, is built on exploitation and death. For anyone who values the right of animals to live free from harm, continuing to eat eggs contradicts those principles. But it’s not just about ethics. Whether for health, environmental reasons, or compassion for living beings, there are countless reasons to leave eggs off the plate.
So, what’s stopping the switch to egg-free? Is it breakfast, baking, or just the idea of giving up a convenient food? Don’t worry—many vegetarians feel the same way. The good news is that it’s easier than ever to find delicious, easy alternatives that make this transition smoother than expected. Whether it's a chickpea scramble or flaxseed for baking, there’s a cruelty-free option for every craving. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out our guide to egg replacements.
Sources & Further Reading
Article Sources:
https://faunalytics.org/why-do-vegetarians-continue-eating-cheese-and-dairy/
https://faunalytics.org/understanding-cognitive-dissonance-in-vegetarians-and-pescatarians/
https://faunalytics.org/differing-empathy-in-vegetarians-vegans-and-omnivores/
Further Reading:
Misleading Welfare Labels: The Cage-free Illusion
Inherent Cruelties of Eggs: Backyard Chickens
How to Replace Eggs: Recipes and Resources
Ready to Go Vegan? Vegan Bootcamp
What Egg Shortage?
Given the shortage of eggs, high prices and news reports about bird flu, are you feeling frustrated after your last supermarket run?
Image: plantbasednews.org
Given the shortage of eggs, high prices and news reports about bird flu, are you feeling frustrated after your last supermarket run?
Maybe you are thinking of raising backyard chickens as an alternative? Let's consider some plant-based alternatives first.
It makes sense to switch to healthy and cruelty-free options. This allows you to avoid the myriad of issues with backyard eggs and the welfare issues associated with commercial eggs. Many folks have been using plant-based alternatives for years, from aquafaba, flax, and chia seeds in baking to scrambled tofu and plant-based eggs for more traditional egg-centric meals.
It's important to consider what you're trying to achieve with your eggs. Once you've determined that, there are a variety of options:
![how-to-substitute-eggs-in-keto-cooking-[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57cf3049ebbd1a6e5b9f3a74/1677289340363-E2DDCAIJZ8DZP7MRJWEX/how-to-substitute-eggs-in-keto-cooking-%5B1%5D.jpg)
The first are the most budget-friendly options that you probably already have in your cupboard. Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas that can be whipped into a foam that resembles egg whites. Flax and chia seeds can also be used as egg substitutes by mixing them with water to form a gel-like consistency. Silken tofu can be blended into a smooth mixture and used in recipes that call for eggs. Lastly, mashed bananas or applesauce can also be used as egg substitutes in recipes that require a binding agent.
For those who want a baking option, established brands like ‘PaneRiso Egg Replacer’, ‘Ener-G Egg Replacer’, or ‘Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer’ are perfect. These products are not only cruelty-free, but are highly versatile, and can be used in a variety of recipes, from cakes and cookies to savory dishes like quiches and omelettes.
For the demanding chef, or cooks in a hurry who need a truly authentic egg substitute, products like Just Eggs, Simply Eggless, VeganEgg, or Scramblit are a perfect fit. They are ideal for creating a very realistic and satisfying egg-like experience. To replicate the light and airy texture of egg whites, Oggs and Yumgo are great! Their texture and consistency can help achieve fluffy meringues or other recipes calling for airy fillings.
Finally, under “I can't believe these are plant-based” eggs, soy-free, and gluten-free Wonderegg has been praised for its ability to mimic the taste and texture of real eggs so closely that many people can't tell the difference.
Yo-Egg, is a plant-based egg yolk replacement that mimics the taste and texture of real egg yolks, making it perfect for dishes like hollandaise sauce or aioli.
All of these products are part of a rapidly expanding selection of plant-based egg alternatives that are transforming the food industry. With an increasing demand for allergy-friendly and cruelty-free options, these innovative products are enabling both chefs and home cooks to create family-friendly meals and baked goods without compromise.
Note: don't forget to check out our long list of replacements AND our extensive recipe collection, too.
Happy cooking!
Note: Egg-Truth is not sponsored by any of the aforementioned products.
Juliane Priesemeister, Executive Director
Juliane worked almost a decade for an international corporation as an information designer. Generating compelling visual stories was her daily deed, but as much as she enjoyed the creative work the big corporation environment left her hungry for substance and impact.
When she started her yoga journey a few years ago the “do no harm” philosophy pushed her to align work with her personal ethics and values. Today she uses her omnibus skill set, including marketing communications, economics, and graphic design, to reveal the truth about the egg industry to consumers.
Buying chicks is NOT compatible with loving animals
Why keeping backyard chickens as a response to the egg shortage is not the solution to the problem, and why it's crucial to understand the welfare issues in the egg industry instead.
Image: Sarah-Claude Lévesque St-Louis, pexels.com
Recent egg shortages caused by the current avian flu outbreak have led many people to consider keeping backyard chickens as a source of fresh eggs. What we really should be considering are the broader welfare issues in the egg industry. From living conditions that are cramped and unsanitary to the routine mutilation of chickens, such as de-beaking, the egg industry raises serious concerns about how animals are treated.
In this blog post, we'll explore why keeping backyard chickens as a response to the egg shortage is not a solution to the problem, and why it's crucial to understand the welfare issues in the egg industry instead.
The staff of the Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary, a sanctuary for homeless, abused, neglected, slaughter-bound animals, put together what they have seen and experienced when it comes to adopting and breeding animals for our needs. Here is the plea to stop buying chicks for eggs (see below):
READ BEFORE YOU BUY CHICKS!
We’ve all seen the hundreds of memes, heard the grumbling and watched the news reports about the price of eggs. You may get a wild hair and decide backyard chicken keeping is the thing to do, and rush out to go buy some peeping, adorable baby chicks. I get it, my lady friends…it’s like the ultimate peer pressure these days.
But I’m begging you, DON’T DO IT. If you’re here, you probably love animals. After 15 years of chicken rescue, PLEASE hear me out. Buying chicks is NOT compatible with loving animals. It’s just not.
1. It’s expensive.
Before the costs of a coop large enough to offer enrichment and stimulation suitable for intelligent and curious animals, medical care with an avian/exotics vet that can run $4-500 for a single visit with diagnostics, and everything you need to keep truly happy, healthy birds, just the cost of feed alone will be MORE per dozen of eggs when you factor in the months they won’t lay in the winter and the years when they’ll still need care after they lay infrequently or not at all. Why are store eggs cheaper? They can buy feed in huge bulk discounts AND they “depopulate” ie kill the hens when they are 16-18 months old, once they are no longer able to lay daily eggs. Crossing that threshold where you’d kill an animal because you can no longer use them requires you to give up your “animal lover” card for sure.
2. It’s hard work.
Cleaning coops a few times a week, all the dust and caustic bird dander for those of us with allergies, finding a place to toss your used shaving. Poop EVERYWHERE. Dug up lawns and flowerbeds. Twice daily feeding and watering, keeping overgrown nails and beaks trimmed, deworming, mite and lice treatments and trips to the vet take many hours per week that most busy people don’t have. These are living beings and just like your dog or cat, not giving them adequate space, housing, clean facilities and vet care is neglect. Animal lovers don’t neglect animals in their care.
3. Avian flu.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is sweeping the country and killing millions of birds, both pet and wild. Threatened species populations are suffering, and raptors like hawks and eagles are falling out of the sky, dead and dying. It’s even jumped to mammal species, killing bears and big cats in zoos around the country. The more animals we give this disease to spread, like the millions of sudden backyard chickens, the more we help it spread, and in effect are responsible for even more wild animals dying. Animal lovers don’t do things that harm wildlife.
**Not to mention that it CAN be spread to humans in close contact with birds. In the cases around the world where it has spread to poultry workers and those exposed, it has had a more than 50% mortality rate. The more we expose our own species to this disease, the more readily it will adapt to infecting humans. And the only reason we’ve been safe so far is that it can only spread from bird to human. But this is a quickly mutating virus, and when it is able to spread human to human, we will have another pandemic that will be more virulent than Covid. The 1918 influenza likely originated as an avian flu.
4. Predators.
We tend not to notice our city predator wildlife friends, and they usually leave our companion animals alone. But they can’t resist the dinner bell of captive backyard chickens and the often shoddy hobbyist coops and runs from feed stores with the glaring lack of predator protection they offer. We spend thousands of dollars on predator proof housing and runs for each flock, that requires sturdy sheds, an underlayment that prevents digging under fences and a cover of some sort. Every year we receive hundreds of messages from traumatized chicken owners who come out to find gore and devastation in their coops, often one or two injured, very grisly survivors. It’s almost a guarantee that new chicken owners will experience a predator attack. Are you ready for that guilt and heartbreak? Animal lovers don’t keep captive animals to be mutilated.
5. Roosters.
You may be reassured that you’re buying “sexed” chicks, just hens when you purchase baby chicks. It says so right on the sign right? Well, what they DON’T tell you is 10-30% of those chicks have been mis-sexed and about half of buyers end up with a rooster. It becomes agonizing every year as families who live in cities where roosters are banned try to find a home for him where he won’t be killed. It’s so sad to take him away from the hens and people he’s bonded with. And we receive over 3000 of those rooster rehome requests every year, more than we could ever care for. There are a few places that advertise a “gentleman’s club” where you can dump your little boy off with their rooster flocks for a nominal fee like $50. Anyone running a business like this would quickly be over run or go broke trying to feed all these boys, unless they have a way to discard some or neglect them horribly. What actually happens is most will be killed by other more dominant roosters in the flock or fall prey to the many diseases endemic to unquarantined flocks with no medical care offered. And eventually when they grow up, they are sold off cheaply to someone who will home butcher them. We’ve visited a few. It’s obvious what’s going on. It’s far more kind to take your rooster in for HUMANE EUTHANASIA with an avian vet than to leave them stressed, sick and attacked in these places. Animal lovers don’t buy animals they can’t keep.
6. Chick grinding.
Ok, so you bought just 6 hens and you got lucky—all are ACTUALLY hens. But since it was a 50/50 gender split on that hatch, where are their brothers? Egg laying breeds don’t gain weight quickly so it’s not profitable to raise them for food. Instead, all the male chicks are either suffocated in giant plastic bags of thousands of chicks or they are thrown alive into something called a “chick macerator”, basically an industrial grinder for baby chickens. EVERY HATCHERY does this. There are no exceptions. Lots of people who also eat chickens may not be bothered by this, but many find killing day old baby animals abhorrent. I don’t know how we can call ourselves animal lovers and be willing to pay for this to happen, as we do each time we buy a little girl chick.
7. Death in the mail.
All the chicks in those feed stores have been sent in the mail, at a day old, with no food, water or warmth they need. MANY chicks will die en route, and it will be a cold and scary ordeal for these little tiny animals even if they do survive. Every year, we get calls from feed stores asking us to come help the sick and dying babies who’ve arrived who need critical care. Sometimes entire shipments come in deceased. Can you imagine if we did this with puppies and kittens knowing there’s a very good chance they’d die in transit? There is nothing nice about the way we transport baby chickens. Animal lovers don’t put animals in traumatizing and unsafe situations.
8. Needs a mama.
Baby chickens, ducks and turkeys are unique in the bird world because they hatch with the ability to eat on their own, they don’t have to be fed by a mama bird. BUT! That does NOT mean they have no need for a mother. Living without a mother causes constant anxiety for a baby animal whose instinct is telling him that not being near his mother makes him vulnerable to predation. Their mothers are comfort, warmth, love, affection and teach them about how to be chickens. Just because they CAN live without a mother, doesn’t mean it isn’t cruel to force millions of babies to live without her. The few minutes or even hours a day you can spend with your baby chicks isn’t anywhere near sufficient for an animal who would stay at her parents side 24-7 for 6-8 weeks or longer. Hatchery chicks are born in industrial incubators with fake heat, and there’s nothing “natural” about this in the least. This, to me, may be the meanest thing we do to animals on a large scale. The industrialization of the lives of babies is truly monstrous. Animal lovers don’t intentionally take newborns from their mothers.
What to do instead:
If you still feel you NEED chicken companionship, build the Fort Knox of chicken habitats either inside or outside your house (chicken diapers are a thing), make their lives and enrichment a priority, find a great avian vet, be willing to spend money on their care, and ADOPT adult hens DON’T shop.
Sick of egg prices? There are so many plant based egg products on the market these days that cook just like eggs. Find a great tofu scramble recipe. Check out all the easy egg replacements for baking that are far more healthy, like applesauce, bananas, and flax seed.
Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary (US)
We provide sanctuary for abused, neglected, unwanted farm animals and a safe place to share their love and their voice with our human visitors.
Juliane Priesemeister, Executive Director
Juliane worked almost a decade for an international corporation as an information designer. Generating compelling visual stories was her daily deed, but as much as she enjoyed the creative work the big corporation environment left her hungry for substance and impact.
When she started her yoga journey a few years ago the “do no harm” philosophy pushed her to align work with her personal ethics and values. Today she uses her omnibus skill set, including marketing communications, economics, and graphic design, to reveal the truth about the egg industry to consumers.
World Egg Day and the Silent Suffering of Hens
While trying to avoid calling them 'healthy' (which is currently illegal according to FDA) the industry’s marketing team is working hard to present the nutritional composition as a miracle unicorn of affordable foods. Yet, one fact is ignored and left out every year: the suffering of the hens.
Image: Farm Transparency Project
On Friday, October 14, the egg industry praises the “power of the egg” and all its "nutritional, environmental, and societal benefits" during ‘World Egg Day’. Established at Vienna 1996, on the second Friday in October each year they “celebrate the power of the egg”.
While trying to avoid calling them 'healthy' (which is currently illegal according to FDA) the industry’s marketing team is working hard to present the nutritional composition as a miracle unicorn of affordable foods. Yet, one fact is ignored and left out every year: the suffering of the hens.
Whether housed in a cage or free-run system, the life of a hen is a life denied. Female birds are mutilated at a young age and denied their natural behaviours throughout their egg-laying cycle.
For people who actually live with hens, the extensive gaslighting promotion brings out all the frustrations that come with the egg industries' abuse and suffering.
The staff of the Microsanctuary Resource Center and Haidy at Belle and Fleur (Little Cage Fighters) who devote their lives to care for broken hens from various egg farms spoke up to explain why it would be more compassionate to leave eggs off your plate.
“it’s important to see egg consumption in a systemic context”
The staff of the Micro Sanctuary Resource Center shared their thoughts on egg consumption in a comprehensive post on Instagram.
A Note on Egg Consumption
As MRC has most specifically expressed in our second and third core principles, we take a strong stand against any use whatsoever of eggs from residents (along with any other residents’ “byproducts”).
We understand that giving eggs from well-loved residents to humans may seem at first like a better option than if those humans bought eggs from farms. We (vegan or not) are largely conditioned to perceive animal farming in terms of how animals are treated. If animals appear to be treated “well,” then animal welfare can obscure ethics of use. So it’s important to see egg consumption in a systemic context.
First and foremost, eggs are the very thing that will most likely harm and kill hens, no matter where they live, due to the domestication history and selective breeding for dangerously high laying rates in all breeds of chicken. We can’t ignore that the only reason chickens exist is because they were taken from their ancestral habitat and domesticated, millennia of selective breeding turning them into food and/or entertainment for humans. If residents’ eggs are consumed, that perpetuates the role of eggs as food and serves as a continuation of the larger systemic harm that puts chickens into the position of exploited beings who need liberation in the first place.
No matter how someone comes by (buying, breeding, “rescuing”) or treats their chickens, to benefit from the functions that were the causes for (and foci of) their exploitation is to be a part of that exploitation. You cannot separate human consumption of their eggs from the historical system that caused them to be used for food.
Secondly, a key part of the microsanctuary ethos is to treat and represent rescued nonhumans as more than just food sources, to do all we can to sever the link between their bodies and our plates. Even when a backyard chicken reaches a vegan sanctuary, they are not “free.” Both hens and roosters will FOREVER have to deal with the repercussions of domestication, primarily related to alterations to their reproductive systems. Egg consumption serves to maintain eggs as food in human society, and insures chickens will forever be put into situations of harm.
Thirdly, we recognize that human consumption of eggs occurs without the consent of individual hens (they can’t give it) and is thus wrong.
The idea of bodily autonomy, as well as health and safety, should be seriously considered for nonhuman sanctuary residents as well as for humans. Taking or giving away the fruit of someone else’s labor without consent for personal benefit when you don’t need it is not ethical, ever. Doing so when those hens cannot escape the toil and are very likely to suffer and die from it (and their brothers probably did die because they couldn’t do it...) is wrong.
So what to do? Preventative care to stop laying is the safest approach to keeping hens healthy and avoiding eggs all together. Otherwise, all eggs should be fed back to the hens in moderation, and we recommend that any excess be given to wildlife or other nonhuman residents who may need them, composted, or otherwise disposed of.
“I have seen hens from the highest welfare systems in states akin to those from cages.”
Haidy shares her thoughts on eggs and hen keeping based on years of experience with hens and rescue hens.
I feel it would be remiss of me to remain quiet on #worldeggday 🙏
The industry bods are championing the egg and all it stands for.
What an egg can do for YOU
What an egg provides for YOU
How little an egg costs YOU
Do YOU see the problem??
These photos are the gurls who have held MY hand on a journey.
Belle, Fleur, Rockie, Blossom, Fleurie, Daya and Asha are just a snap shot of the teachers who have come my way.
When I started this it was because we wanted to be more self sufficient, to have our own hens. At that point I still ‘used’ animal products. I still thought I was doing the best I could by buying the highest welfare, local produce.
These gurls showed me the true cost of eggs, the true cost to THEM……
What an egg does to THEM
What an egg takes from THEM
What an egg costs THEM
it was when the realisation of that truth hit me I had no choice but to change my mind!
I have seen hens from the highest welfare systems in states akin to those from cages.
The bottom line is my stance has changed from promoting animal welfare to animal rights and therefore I do not and will not hip hoorah world egg day.
An egg is not an innocuous food item.
The industry perpetrates suffering from start to finish by; destroying male chicks by shredding, gassing or crushing, overcrowding, restricting and denying natural behaviours in young hens in rearing barns, roughly handling and transporting hens to laying facilities, breaking any group dynamics that have may have formed in rearing barns, as well as breaking bones as in Asha’s case we suspect, by reducing nutrition through their lay cycle to protect profits thus pushing hens to their limits to continue laying eggs at the expense of their health, which is how they are genetically modified, by killing them at 72 weeks old before their first moult when egg production drops, again to protect the industry profits.Buying eggs means YOU allow the industry to strip, discard, allow to suffer and be unseen….. billions of hens each year.
8 out my 10 ladies are currently implanted because producing eggs generally causes massive problems!!
Please Think 🙏
#saynotoeggs #ethicalchoices #eggtruth #vegan
Micro Sanctuary Resource Center (US)
A platform for small-scale vegan caregivers to learn about many different care topics on many different species, and a place where we can share practical advice, celebrate, and grieve our nonhuman family.
Belle and Fleur (UK)
Haidy at Belle and Fleur (Little Cage Fighters) runs a tight ship with the most loving and luxurious hen home in the UK. She is always happy to chat about hens. She has the experience and access to wonderful vets who have always helped her understand more about her beloved Girls.
Egg-free - Tips and Resources
But how does one switch to an egg-free, maybe, vegan diet now? Here are our favourite resources to help replace eggs in your diet.
During the last three weeks, we shared a lot of content regarding the impact of eating eggs on the environment, your health, and the hens.
But how does one switch to an egg-free, or even, a vegan diet? Below are some of our favourite resources to help replace eggs in your diet. And, if you’d like to support a sanctuary to help rescue more layer hens, check out some of the links at the bottom.
Egg Replacements
It’s never been easier to replace eggs in your favourite recipes. The simple and most accessible ones are likely foods that are already in your pantry or fridge.
Here are the top nine options. Choose the right one by understanding what role eggs play in the recipe. Do they act as a binder for leavening, adding moisture, or adding protein? (For a more detailed explanation on this, check out this great post.)
This egg alternative graphic is provided by Vegan Outreach.
Applesauce (binder, moisture)
Aquafaba (binder)
Baking soda and vinegar (leavening agent)
Bananas (moisture)
Chia seeds (binder)
Firm tofu (protein, moisture)
Flaxseed (binding)
Powdered egg replacer (leavening agent)
Silken tofu (protein, moisture)
Many of you may have heard of a popular, plant-based egg called: JustEgg. It is a real revolution for egg-free cooking! But did you know that it’s just one of many fantastic commercial liquid eggs that have been launched in the past few years? Here is a comprehensive list of delicious cruelty-free products on our “Egg Alternatives” page.
Egg-free Recipes
We would also love to share some of our favourite recipes with you. We have a vast collection (whisked together by the gifted chef Linda) on our blog and even more on our Pinterest page. Happy cooking!
Hen Rescue
Now, if week 3 of our series made you want to help there are several options.
First and foremost check out the website, blogs and podcasts from our partners at Catskill Animal Sanctuary. They are entertaining, informative and let you be part of the saved animals’ lives there.
We also love smaller sanctuaries (called micro sanctuaries) that specialize in rescuing ex-battery hens and struggle to make ends meet. Please have a look at the fantastic work of:
Brown’s Microsanctuary (Canada)
This is run by the wonderful and energetic Temara Brown. A microsanctuary for chickens rescued from industrial and small-scale egg & meat farming abused or neglected pets and backyard butchery.
Belle and Fleur (UK)
Haidy at Belle and Fleur (Little Cage Fighters) runs a tight ship with the most loving and luxurious hen home in the UK. She is always happy to chat about hens. She has the experience and access to wonderful vets who have always helped her understand more about her beloved Girls.
NSW Hen Rescue (Australia)
And, finally, there is NSW Hen Rescue (Australia), founded by Catherine Kelaher. She and her volunteers rescue, rehabilitate and re-home sick, injured, abused and abandoned animals that come into their care. They are 100% volunteer-run and provide the individuals rescued the veterinary care and love they need.
We hope you enjoyed our series. Before we wrap things up we would like to give a big ‘Thank You’ to Sentient Media who allowed us to republish their great newsletter content. We highly recommend the website of this non-profit, journalism organization that seeks to create transparency around the use of animals in our daily lives—from food to companionship to laboratory test subjects.
Make sure to check out our daily posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more information on chickens and the egg industry.
Eggs and Animal Abuse
For the short lives that egg-laying chickens live—usually around 2 years—their lives are stressful. The total number of chickens raised for eggs in Canada is over 25.8 million.
With permission. Originally published by Sentient Media.
For the short lives that egg-laying chickens live—usually around 2 years—their lives are stressful. The total number of chickens raised for eggs in Canada is over 25.8 million.
Canada has over 1,000 egg farms and hens are forced to lay approximately 320 eggs in one year. Eighty-four percent of Canadian egg-laying hens spend their entire lives in cages. Around 66 percent of caged birds are housed in conventional “battery” cages, while the remaining 18 percent are housed in “enriched” slightly larger cages. On average, each hen is given less space than a standard sheet of printed paper.
The use of battery cages is still the most common method of raising egg-laying chickens worldwide. In the countries that are part of the International Egg Commission, which includes Nigeria, the U.S., Brazil, and Germany, about 88.7 percent of hens are kept in battery cages.
The egg production process is started by debeaking the chicks who are just a few hours or a day old. This process is done without any painkillers. Due to the pain, the chicks often are unable to eat or drink water leaving them dehydrated and starving until they heal. As there is not enough space, the hens are not able to move around or expand their wings. Additionally, they are unable to clean themselves and have no option but to sit on their urine and feces.
The male chicks born in the egg industry are regarded as waste and are discarded within hours of being born. It's a standard practice to throw them in the garbage, kill them in gas chambers, or grind them in "Macerators."
The air inside egg farming buildings is full of ammonia which is toxic for the birds and they can suffer respiratory illnesses and even die from the effects. Because the number of hens within factory farms is large, farmers are unable to keep up with the dead birds, so the surviving hens are often forced to live next to other dead hens.
Rather than the 10 to 15 eggs laid naturally in a year by red jungle fowl—the presumed ancestor of today’s domestic chicken—industrially farmed hens have been manipulated to lay more than 300 eggs per year. This is almost 30 times more than the natural amount of eggs produced by one hen.
For a more detailed record of the life of layer-hens, please visit our “Life of a Hen” page.
Please consider taking ‘Petunia’s Pledge’ below and enjoy the free live events organized by Catskill Animal Sanctuary.
Take Petnunia’s Pledge to join an online community and free live classes.
Eggs and Health
Eggs and health - the fat and cholesterol found in eggs can harm heart health and lead to diabetes, as well as prostate and colorectal cancers.
The fat and cholesterol found in eggs can harm heart health and lead to diabetes, as well as prostate and colarectal cancers.*
Bold claims - let’s dive into this and have a closer look at cholesterol, protein and why eggs are not the health food they are claimed to be.
Cholesterol
For almost five decades it has been conventional wisdom that dietary cholesterol should be limited. For the average person, this means consuming less than 300 mgs per day, and less than 200mg per day for hyper-responders, those with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes and those who are at risk of cardiovascular disease - which is most people who “expect to live past middle age”. For the record, one average-sized egg contains approximately 215 mgs of dietary cholesterol.
Despite these long-standing restrictions, a flurry of media reports recently has cited studies now claiming that dietary cholesterol does not actually increase overall cholesterol levels in the blood. These studies claim we no longer have to be concerned about these previous restrictions. In other words, feel free to eat as many eggs as you want! And, shockingly, some studies are even suggesting that eating eggs can actually reduce the risk of heart disease.
Even the United States Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion as far back as 2015 were advised by a panel to drop any recommendations that limit cholesterol intake. It is of particular interest to note that Dr. J. David Spence, professor of pharmacology and clinical neurology at the Robarts Research Institute, Western University in London, Ontario, Canada, has written extensively that this recommendation, has been “heavily influenced by propaganda from the egg industry”.
Protein
Some nutritionists will concede that it is just the egg yolk that should be avoided despite the industry propagating the myth that cholesterol in eggs is harmless. Nutritionists will advocate, however, for the consumption of egg whites because it is almost all protein.
While protein is essential in our diets, there is a balance between excessive and adequate. In other words, you can get too much of a good thing! IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) is a hormone in the blood that regulates the replenishment of old and dying cells with new ones in our body. Excessive protein consumption over time can elevate IGF-1 to abnormally high levels and promote cellular growth exceeding our natural requirements. Elevated levels of IGF-1 have been linked to various forms of cancer.**
To learn more about the harmful effects of egg consumption on human health, please visit our “Eggs and Our Health” page.
Please consider taking ‘Petunia’s Pledge’ below and enjoy the free live events organized by Catskill Animal Sanctuary.
Take Petunia’s Pledge to join an online community and free live classes.
Eggs and the Environment
Eggs and the environment - a topic seldom talked about. But this overview shows that large egg farms do a number on their immediate environment and the ecosystem.
(With permission. Originally published by Sentient Media in their Newsletter ‘100 Voices - Day 24’)
In an intensive system of farming, billions of chickens live in cramped conditions and are exploited every year for meat and egg production. This form of farming aims to keep as many birds as possible in a limited area while maximizing profits.
It is becoming increasingly acknowledged that animal agriculture is a major contributor to the climate crisis. Animal agriculture is also destroying forests, polluting rivers, and displacing communities across species.
Chicken farming’s impact on the climate is less than cattle farming’s environmental impact, however, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) per serving of poultry are still 11 times higher than those for one serving of beans.
Egg production is no different. The impacts range from poor living conditions for the animals, poor working conditions for humans, and pollution and degradation of the environment. Recently, research published by the Journal of Cleaner Production revealed an ecological footprint from the current productive system of eggs, where every dozen eggs emit 2.7 kilograms of CO2, and approximately 196 liters of water are used to produce one egg.
Chicken meat is playing an increasingly large role in the American diet as people trade red meat for more poultry. Americans now eat more chicken per capita than beef or pork. The annual American appetite for chicken produces 129 billion lbs of CO2 emissions per year—the same amount as 12.37 million cars. Between 1981 and 2006, GHG emissions from the Canadian poultry industry increased by 40%.
Due to the rise of global demand for chicken and eggs, animal feed production must also rise. Over one-third (37%) of global soy is fed to chickens and other poultry. In 2004, the chicken farming industry utilized a total of 294 million tons of animal feed. The global poultry feed market was valued at $175.9 billion in 2018, growing at a rate of 4.5% over the forecast period.
This increased feed production has resulted in the expansion of croplands resulting in deforestation of biodiverse forests and pollution of water resources. This pollution is caused by the use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. It also contributes to air pollution from nitrogen fertilizer which happens through the evaporation of ammonia.
Sentient Media’s ‘100 Voices’ Newsletter is a creation of their Social Media Fellowship program sponsored by VEGFUND.
Please consider taking ‘Petunia’s Pledge’ below and enjoy the free live events organized by Catskill Animal Sanctuary.
Take Petnunia’s Pledge to join an online community and free live classes.
Petunia's Pledge - From Vegetarian to Vegan In One Month
Join us from Oct-1 to Nov-1 to move to a vegan lifestyle together with the Catskill Animal Sanctuary.
Dear vegetarians, vegan-curious, and everyone interested in a healthier and more compassionate lifestyle!
October 1st marks World Vegetarian Day. And we couldn't be more excited about people coming together to consider making lifestyle changes for the better. In partnership with Catskill Animal Sanctuary, we will guide you through a month-long information campaign about transitioning from a vegetarian lifestyle to a vegan one.
While it’s not as simple as crossing out a few letters of a word, we’ll show you the benefits of a vegan lifestyle in hopes of getting you started on your journey to a cruelty-free diet!
The first week of the campaign will start with information about the environmental impacts of eggs. Week two will focus on the health benefits of leaving eggs off your plate. Week three will reveal the realities of egg farming from an animal welfare perspective. In week four we’ll provide additional information on how to transition to a vegan lifestyle. We’ll provide lots of resources and links for delicious, egg-free alternatives, egg-free recipes and to help with the transition!
And please consider taking ‘Petunia’s Pledge’ below and enjoy the free live events!
See you throughout October.
Sincerely,
The Egg-Truth Team
We’re going to have a lot of fun this month trying out new vegan recipes, chatting in our Facebook group about our favourite vegan cheeses — WHOA those have come a long way! — and so much more!
You can click here to view & download Petunia’s Vegan Tips & Tricks.
If you have questions, please write to my pal Heather Decker, our Communications & Retail Associate — she helps out because my handwriting is chicken scratch!
You can jump onto our Facebook group with questions too! There are lots of friendly faces there!
We’ll send you some more emails throughout the month, but don’t be shy about questions! My friends and I are here for you.
Mark your calendar for these upcoming events:
October 13th at 6:00 PM Vegan101 Webinar and Dinner Cookalong with Linda Soper-Kolton, Award-Winning Chef & Cookbook Author
October 16th at 12:00PM Vegetarian To Vegan Workshop at Catskill Animal Sanctuary: A Live Recipe Demo With Chef Linda PLUS A Tour With Sanctuary Founder Kathy, and more!
Cooking Classes! Pick one and get your free ticket with the code PETUNIAJUNE21
PLUS Virtual Sanctuary on our Facebook Page every Thursday at 1:00 PM of course! My human pals, Andrea & Lauren, are creating LOTS of amazing content. I don’t want to spoil the surprise — but you won’t want to miss it!
Thanks for taking the next step on your compassionate journey with us!
Signed,
Petunia ;)