Fu&*ing Organic Eggs!

[OtterDisgrace]

I've been purchasing organic eggs for years. Recently discovered that all egg farms, including all UK organic egg farms slaughter 40-70,000 male chicks alive each year. Some are gassed. They're simply surplus to requirements, such is mass production.
I would check if you buy from selective farms, too. Unfortunately I saw an image of little yellow male chicks being shunted along a conveyor belt into a grinder. Thankfully they didn't show you their fall.

I suppose I simply trusted the word organic. Personally I can't deal with that so I've quit egg products, although I am still a carnivore. It's worth being aware, just in case it matters to you.
My DP doesn't like it but still purchases free range. We can't expect other people to share our interests but I wish I had known much earlier on.

So organic chickens might have a fairly decent life and diet compared to free range, but the egg industry is taking the piss with its marketing.

I don’t think you know what organic means.

I think you're very naive.

do educate me oh wise one

Yes they all do that… that’s why there are so many hens and not roosters. Obviously it’s horrid.

There’s a company working to identify male vs female chicks in the early stage of development. Pretty interesting really. https://inovo.nl/

Its nothing new.

Looks like there's progress over the last few years in avoiding it being an issue

https://www.poultrynews.co.uk/production/how-sex-selection-technology-is-transforming-the-egg-industry.html

Male chickens have been ‘dispatched’ for years.

Thanks for the info, i honestly didnt know about this:(

Do you drink milk OP? Cheese/yoghurt etc? They do the same with male calves.

What did you think happened to the males?

I think you are misunderstanding the word organic.

For a minute I thought you were talking about Easter eggs 😂 (Would have still been wrong)

Surely organic just means without so many nasty chemicals? What else do you want them to do with male chicks?

Organic doesn't mean high welfare. It never has.

Why the sarcasm? Google organic and then state why you think that’s relevant to them killing male chicks? Organic doesn’t mean against killing. You’re still eating the adult chicken they’ve killed.

Organic is what food they eat surely, not how they are treated

Organic means their feed is organic plus they should all be free range although with the avian flu outbreak atm think they're in airy barns instead. Everything we do/eat/consume has consequences sadly

Some really sensisitve and educative answers here ladies, thank you so much

no that is not what it means, it just means different, and less effective nasty chemicals, and normally more land needed for the same produce- it is a fashionable label, but generally a poor choice environmentally

Has always been the case.
Same as baby calves are removed from their mums very quickly so her milk is made for humans, the male calves are generally surplus to requirement too.

One of the reasons I'm vegan.

I don't buy commercially produced eggs, I try to avoid eating eggs or egg containing products outside the home since I don't know how they have been produced, and I don't eat chicken. I suppose it's a bit hypocritical of me as I do still eat other meat but I think the poultry and egg industries are particularly cruel and I really love chickens so it bothers me more. People seem to think that they dont matter as they are "only birds" but they are intelligent creatures with feelings and distinct personalities. Even so called free range chickens are not treated well and, unless rescued are slaughtered at a fairly young age once they stop laying eggs at the unnatural rate which commercial egg producers require. Their lives are not as bad as battery hens of course but they are still not great and are often cut unnaturally short. I think the advertising is misleading as when you hear words like free range and organic people imagine happy birds living out their natural lives scratching round a farmyard and that is very rarely the case.

What did you think organic meant?

If it is any consolation, the chicks are not wasted, and are eaten by many pets and zoo animals

Thank you to those who haven't patronised me! I am eager to learn more.

Are any of you vegan or veggie?
I usually let my body tell me what I need and at this point eat chicken and fish. I am aware that nothing is sacred by any stretch (you're fresh tesco sea bass isnt 'fresh', etc) but it is difficult to navigate tbh.

If you can afford it, buy higher welfare eggs and chicken from somewhere like Waitrose. My friend is one of their inspectors and they really do do the best by their animals. I totally appreciate that's beyond the range of most people's budgets esp right now but I'd prefer to eat a lot less meat but the meat I do buy occasionally come from a high welfare producer, Abel and Cole that type of supplier.

What did you think they did with them?

Yeh, the calf leather thing got me in my 20's.
Putting them in cages from birth so that they can't move to make the leather bags and shoes more supple.

you tell me! I am your inferior in all matter organic!