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Written question asked by Baroness Redfern (Conservative) on Wednesday, 7 May 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 21 May 2025. It was answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of male chick culling in the UK egg industry; and what steps they are taking to support producers to reduce that practice.

Answer

The legislation sets out strict requirements to protect the welfare of animals at the time of killing, including male chicks from the egg production sector.

Permitted killing methods for chicks, such as gas stunning and maceration, are based on scientific research and assessment to ensure birds are spared any avoidable pain, distress, or suffering. All laying hen hatcheries in the UK use argon gas mixtures as their stunning method.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. In recent years there has been rapid global progress in the development of technologies that allow chicks to be sexed in-ovo (within the egg). We welcome the UK egg industry’s interest in the development of day zero sexing technology.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL7262
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Animal welfare Poultry
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk