Over 6 Billion Male Layer Chicks Are Culled Annually When Hatched Because There Is No Commercial Use for Them
Several billion female layer chicks, those that become hens, are hatched each year to supply the world’s eggs. A similar number of male chicks are also produced but never make it to market. The male chicks cannot lay eggs, and their poor growth and meat quality make them unsuitable for consumption. As there is no need for male chicks, they are culled once hatched. Male chick culling is a major animal welfare challenge and creates lost-opportunity costs for farmers.
FFAR launched the Egg-Tech Prize research initiative with Open Philanthropy to develop technology that determines an egg’s sex before it hatches.