Last year in Germany more than 40 million chicks were killed right after hatching. Although re is no official information on this, number can be deduced from number of hatched female chicks. In 2017, it was in larger hatcheries at about 45.7 million as federal government’s response to a green question emerged. That was around 1.6 million more than year before.
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Male chicks who later do not lay eggs and are not suitable for meat production are usually killed. According to Central Association of Poultry Industry (ZDG), male chicks in Germany are not shredded, but suffocated with CO2. Initiatives such as Bror Hahn and bror Chicks promote a slightly higher egg-supply, which co-finances rearing of chickens.
Methods to determine sex early in egg and to prevent killing of hatched chicks have been in development for a long time. In January, ZDG announced that first machines should be in use by end of 2019.
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The federal government points out that it is supporting development of such methods. For research on sex determination in egg, Confederation issues a total of almost five million euros by end of this year from 2008 to 2018. In addition, Confederation promotes projects to so-called two use hens, i.e. breeds whose female animals are used as laying hens and male as fattening chickens, with a total of 1.8 million euros between 2015 and 2018.
This is not enough for opposition: while union and SPD were promoting industrial agriculture every year with billions, research on alternatives was “rar alibi,” criticized Green Group vice-president Oliver Krischer. He has impression that grand coalition wants to change nothing in practice.
