The fate of male chicks – and why Sweden is falling behind

Abroad, a milestone has already been reached. If you visit major Italian grocery chains like Coop or Esselunga, you should pay close attention in the egg aisle – soon you’ll see cartons labelled Salvaguardia del pulcino maschio. These eggs didn’t cost male chicks their lives – the male embryos were identified and sorted out before hatching. Italy is one of several countries phasing out the killing of male chicks, while Sweden is still dragging its feet. 

Few consumers are aware of the fate that awaits male chicks. Right after hatching, the chicks are sorted on a conveyor belt. The females are sent off to their fates in the egg industry. The males, since they are unable to lay eggs and too slow growing to be profitable for meat, are either gassed or ground up alive.  

– This makes the egg industry the second deadliest animal factory farming system – after chicken production, says Anna Harenius, Animal Welfare Specialist at Project 1882. 

Beyond the suffering inflicted on the animals, Sweden’s high egg consumption means that, on average, one hen and one male chick are killed per person each year.  

Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands have laws either banning the killing of male chicks or requiring early egg sexing (which has proven to be the more effective solution). Norway has two hatcheries already practicing egg sexing, and the method is spreading in the U.S. But in Sweden, development has stalled. The reason? A hope for a long-promised “miracle method” being developed at Linköping University. But while other countries have moved ahead with viable solutions, Sweden continues to wait – for a breakthrough that has yet to come. 

Five demands from Project 1882 

1. Ban the killing of male chicks in favor of early egg sexing methods. 
2. Support the implementation of early egg sexing technology in Sweden. 
3. Push for comprehensive legislation at the EU level. 
4. Ban production-oriented breeding that causes animal suffering. 
5. Promote plant-based production and consumption as sustainable alternatives to replace eggs.