On January 20, French and German ministers of agriculture Didier Guillaume and Julia Klöckner announced a plan to help put a stop to the brutal practice of male chick “shredding,” the act of slaughtering baby birds just after they hatch. The objective is to end this horrific practice in all European Union countries by the end of 2021.
“It’s time to end the shredding of chicks,” Guillaume said during an official visit to Germany. “France and Germany should be the European motor to advance on this issue.”
Every year, the poultry industry routinely kills millions of male chicks almost immediately after hatching because they’re worth less than their egg-laying female counterparts. The horrendous methods used to massacre these poor creatures include suffocation via carbon dioxide poisoning and literal shredding via mechanical grinders.
While poultry companies claim that shredding is the only practical and affordable option currently available, Guillaume and Klöckner hope that industry groups, companies, researchers, and campaign groups can work together, share scientific knowledge, and find more humane alternative methods.
“We welcome this scheme and the fact that non-governmental organizations are involved,” commented Agathe Gignous of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), “but we expect clear regulatory commitments.”
Breeding chickens simply to kill them once they emerge from their shells is an unthinkable act of cruelty. While the efforts to end male chick shredding are laudable, the most effective and cruelty-free way to ensure chicks aren’t poisoned and mashed to pieces is to choose plant-based options instead.
EXCELLENT — BEAUTIFUL NEWS — WAY TO GO! — Germany, France to push EU to END shredding — KILLING — of male Chicks — Better yet — GO VEGAN — GO VEGAN.
EXCELLENT — BEAUTIFUL NEWS — WAY TO GO!
End this horror now!
Did it occur to the breeders to give the chicks to farmers and ranchers. I have fond memories of my siblings and I caring for the animals on my grandparent’s farm
Cruelty needs to STOP!
We live in a very sick world,humans are vile blood thirsty sociopaths,except Lady Freethinkers. These poor baby chicks,shredded to death like so much trash,HOW SAD
YAY France and Germany!! The rest of the world should stop senselessly murdering other beings too!!
WHAT 2021?? So between now and then millions will suffer ??? WHY??? END IT NOW!!!
FRANCE IS RIDICULE . WHY WATING FOR 2021. The french president is a monster. French animals and people live in blood , violence
It’s time for the world to take a reality check. We have come too far to be hindered by these barbaric practices. We have to get to the root of this mindset that people think it’s ok to treat animals anyway they choose. It will only change if change is forced. Tougher laws and enforcement of those laws.
Enforcement is the key . Authorities should not be allowed to pick and choose what they enforce. If it’s illegal, enforce it.
Shredding of chicks is inhumane and so is suffocating them slowly and painfully to death with carbon dioxide. The question is, given that many millions of male chicks are born each year in the global egg industry, what are the hatcheries going to do with the chicks until people stop eating eggs, if that ever happens? Electrocute them? Some hatcheries do that, which is pure torture.
are they waiting till 2021 this should stop now this is a lot of BS a lot of animal lovers are watching this very very closely
Why not stop shredding mâle chiens wright now
WHY WAIT? WHAT TAKES SO LONG? JUST PULL THE PLUG! WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE COMMIT THIS GENOCIDE? HOW WAS IT EVER ACCEPTABLE TO BEGIN WITH? my name is kathryn palmer and you can print my e-mail because i have nothing to hide. ashamed to be part of the human species. all the problems and all the hate on this planet stems from the human species. SHAME ON THE COUNTRIES THAT COMMIT THESE HEINOUS CRIMES AGAINST THESE INNOCENT CREATURES WHO SHARE OUT PLANET.
Pour le broyage des poussins ,cette ” avancé ” avait déjà été promis en 2019 et rien n’est écrit et rien n’est signé. Promesse ,promesse que le ministre de l’agriculture et du BIEN ÊTRE animal sème au vent .Et pour info, les laboratoires cherchent à concilier les poules pondeuses avec les poulets de chair .pour faire clair 2 en 1 .Si c’est ça l’avancée promis pour la cause animale ils peuvent se la garder ,c’est HONTEUX
Pour le broyage des poussins ,cette ” avancé ” avait déjà été promis en 2019 et rien n’est écrit et rien n’est signé. Promesse ,promesse que le ministre de l’agriculture et du BIEN ÊTRE animal sème au vent .Et pour info, les laboratoires cherchent à concilier les poules pondeuses avec les poulets de chair .pour faire clair 2 en 1 .Si c’est ça l’avancée promis pour la cause animale ils peuvent se la garder ,c’est HONTEUX
May every other Country around the World follow suit. We do NOT need to kill any animal period. I’ve heard that Burger King’s on the ball with their new “meatless” burgers My husband (who is a steak & potatoes guy said that surprisingly, they are good! Let’s ALL join the band wagon for NO MORE ANIMAL ABUSE…No matter what Country you’re in….Kudos to Germany & France!
I find it very hard to say those horrific words……..chick shredding. I know we cannot live in a cruelty-free world but we can choose a vegan diet and save our soul.
If you must eat meat (and don’t know why you must) why not let these chicks be allowed to live and grow for meat. It’s a solution not much better but this can be done humanely until slaughter time even if I don’t agree with it.
It certainly is time and it is something that should never have been done in the first place. It is yet another example of why factory farming should not exist and there are many of those. Still I applaud the actions of Germany to end this horrific killing ob living beings.
While I do thank France and Germany for their efforts to end this sick brutality, but why wait another year to do it? That means many more chicks will have to be murdered before the process will totally end in 2021. What’s the matter with ending it now?????????
The effort is appreciated but how many chicks will be killed between today and the final day in 2021? Announcing a plan doesnt mean it will happen. Plans can get dragged out.
The effort is appreciated but how many chicks will be killed between today and the final day in 2021? Announcing a plan doesnt mean it will happen. Plans can get dragged out.
Why does it take so long to do this? doesn’t make sense.
I couldn’t even read the rest of this article as I could barely see to type through tears. Wth is WRONG with you people??!! Still goes to show that MEN (& women) are the most destructive & the most torturous. We haven’t gotten any smarter, just built weapons so they could cut them down quicker….This animal abuse & torture needs to end all around the World.
Wow! The “chicken” nugget business just took a hit.
Comment des hommes qui se prétendent civilisés peuvent avoir des comportements aussi barbares!!!
Stop raising animals for food!!!!!!!
So they are still going to be killed on day one? Thats the way I have read this. If that is right, then it is still outrageous, why can’t male chicks lead a life aswell? It’s sick to think they are still going to be murdered in a more ‘humane way’, what’s humane about that? Or am I missing the point?
Yes, this MUST STOP!!!!
No animal deserves to be born and raised, just for food. Worse, males are killed off by being hacked to death.
No animal deserves to be born and raised, just for food. Worse, males are killed off by being hacked to death.
I can’t see why we are still so cruel to little chicks in the USA. With all the new technology why can’t they just incubate hens?. Chickens are such smart birds and they are treated beyond cruel.
Factory farming is so bad and it needs to be stopped.
Incubating hens will also just perpetuate cruelty. Egg-laying hens and meat hens may live longer than the poor males, but their lives are torment every day, until a wretched death. The ONLY thing that will REALLY put an end to this is consumers changing their diets to plant-based foods. Stop supporting factory farm cruelty by not buying animal products and it will disappear.
This is absolutely horrific. Shredding baby chicks live when they’ve just hatched. Now, France and Germany say that they do it more humanely by carbon monoxide. It’s still killing them.
STOP killing these little dear chicks altogether.
Just STOP. Let them live out their lives as Nature intended.
This is absolutely horrific. Shredding baby chicks live when they’ve just hatched. There’s still a problem. France and Germany say that they “do it more humanely ” by carbon monoxide. That’s still killing them.
STOP the practice altogether. Just STOP. Let these little chicks live to enjoy their lives.
Just STOP.
Bravo!!
This is absolutely horrific. Killing chicks as soon as they hatch, by shredding them ,while still alive is unthinkable torture. And saying that they’re going to kill them by more “humane methods ” isn’t good enough. Killing chicks as soon as they hatch is still killing them. The practice needs to STOP altogether.
Just STOP. Let these little chicks live to enjoy their lives, As nature intended.
STOP killing them altogether.
This is absolutely horrific. “Using more humane methods ” to kill these little chicks is still killing them. It’s still breeding them, to kill them.
STOP killing them altogether. Just STOP. Now, that’s humane. STOP the practice altogether.
I know this is probably a good thing.. but announcing a plan to “help” stop by two years from now doesn’t seem like much.
I don’t eat meat or eggs and use a lot of almond dairy products.
No need for these terrible deaths. They can be a more humane way surely.
It’s a disgrace to be a human being.
How are we all able to tolerate this torture? AND, why are we tolerating it? Our world has become a world of greed, money, injustice, cruel people that most likely were that way from the beginning of their lives. And, yet we look the other way and do not want to get involved. Shame on all of us.
I am a 70 year old priest and nurse and quite frankly I do not want to remain on this earth any longer. That is a sad set of circumstances, but true.
Do we not care about anything but ourselves? God will show us our evil ways and he will on the last day, make us accountable for our sins. If you look at our world you can see this IS the beginning of the END.
Pray that we can make a difference with the animals and learn if possible why we are the way we are.
Lord, hear the prayers of the faithful and show us that there will be a consequence for OUR actions.
Father Douglas M. Bilyeu, M Div., MA
Pastor
HOPE MINISTRIES
Wallingford, PA.
I’m 65… on the one hand I would like to be young and strong again… on the other hand.. I don’t want to be in this hideous world 50 years from now. I hate to think what people will be like.
Father, I know just how you feel. BUT – I believe some of us were tasked with being put on this earth to make it better. When we are trying to stop cruelty and human evil, it often seems like a never-ending, awful job, and when the life and death of a living being is at stake, it often takes far too long. But the animal rights movement has made great progress in the last 40 years and it’s best days are still to come, thanks to social media. The human species is paying the price now for our poor energy decisions and we will have to step up or this planet and everything on it will die. As a result, we are seeing MAJOR advancements in plant-based foods, many are changing their diets and many animal and environmental organizations around the world have good, good people working hard to save the planet and its species.
At 67, I am grateful I am in the last third of my life – but I will spend every day I have left doing what I can to make a difference.
Please – use your time and your position to speak out on this issue to your people. Too many religious leaders of all denominations do nothing about this issue. Prayer is wonderful, and I do believe that we will be accountable for what we do here, but God put us here in physical form to actively use our bodies and voices to take care of His planet. HAVE HOPE AND DON’T GIVE UP!!!!
I’ll see you on the other side and greet you as friend.
What a beautiful comment…thank you, you have lifted my spirit for a better future.