Culling chickens refers to the selective removal of birds from a flock to improve overall health, productivity, or genetic quality in poultry farming.
Culling chickens is the practice of removing and killing unwanted birds from a flock. This controversial process happens in both commercial egg production and backyard flocks for various reasons. While some view it as necessary flock management, others question its ethics.
What Does Culling Chickens Mean?
Culling refers to selective removal of chickens from a flock, typically followed by euthanasia. Farmers cull birds that are:
- Unproductive (low egg layers)
- Sick or injured
- Aggressive toward other chickens
- Male chicks in egg production (can’t lay eggs)
Worldwide, about 7 billion male chicks are culled annually in the egg industry. This happens because male chickens don’t lay eggs and aren’t bred for meat production.
Common Methods of Chicken Culling
1. Maceration (Grinding)
This primary method in the U.S. involves placing day-old chicks into a high-speed grinder. Industry considers it humane because death occurs instantly. The remains are often used in pet food or fertilizer.
2. Carbon Dioxide Asphyxiation
Chicks are placed in chambers where CO2 displaces oxygen. This method is common in Europe and considered less visually disturbing than maceration.
3. Cervical Dislocation
For individual birds, farmers may break the neck. This requires skill to ensure quick death. It’s often used for suddenly sick chickens in small flocks.
4. Ventilation Shutdown
Used during disease outbreaks like avian flu, this involves sealing barns and stopping airflow. Sometimes heat or CO2 is added. Over 50 million U.S. chickens were culled this way during the 2022 avian flu outbreak.
Why Culling Happens in Chicken Farming
Economic Reasons
Modern farming separates chickens into:
- Egg-layers (females kept for eggs)
- Meat birds (both sexes raised for meat)
Male egg-laying breeds grow too slowly for meat production. As meat chicken costs show, they’re not profitable to raise.
Health Management
Sick birds may be culled to:
- Prevent disease spread
- End suffering (for severely injured birds)
- Maintain flock productivity
Ethical Concerns and Alternatives
Many question the morality of mass chick culling. Germany and France banned the practice in 2022, with Italy following by 2026.
Emerging Alternatives
New technologies aim to reduce culling:
- In-ovo sexing: Determining sex before eggs hatch
- Dual-purpose breeds: Chickens good for both eggs and meat
- Extended laying cycles: Keeping hens productive longer
Culling in Backyard Flocks
Small-scale chicken keepers may cull birds for different reasons:
| Reason | Method | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Old age | Butchering | Meat may be tough |
| Injury | Cervical dislocation | Requires skill |
| Aggression | Various | Try anti-pecking solutions first |
The Future of Chicken Culling
As public awareness grows, pressure increases to find humane alternatives. Some promising developments include:
- German technology that identifies male embryos early
- Canadian research on altering egg sex ratios
- U.S. startups developing dual-purpose breeds
For now, culling remains standard practice in most commercial operations. However, as this BBC report shows, change is coming to the industry.
Whether you raise chickens commercially or as pets, understanding culling helps make informed decisions. Some backyard keepers choose to rehome unwanted birds rather than cull them.