7 Billion Male Chicks Culled Yearly as In-Ovo Sexing Tech Advances
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Los Angeles – September 12, 2026 -- An estimated 7 billion male chicks are killed globally each year, roughly 200 every second, as the egg industry continues routine chick culling despite the commercial availability of in-ovo sexing technology, according to a new investigation released by Mercy For Animals.
Investigation documents culling methods inside a commercial hatchery
The nonprofit's probe shows newly hatched male chicks being separated from females and killed shortly after hatching through maceration or gassing, depending on the facility. The investigation also documented deformed or unsold female chicks being discarded through the same methods.