As of 01.01.2026, no more chicks are to be killed according to a resolution of Bio Suisse. Sex determination in the egg is also prohibited. Therefore, from then on, all brother chicks of the laying hens will be reared. Preference is to be given to dual-purpose types and genotypes adapted to organic farming. In the case of fattening poultry, too, preference should be given to dual-purpose types, young cockerels or extensive to medium-intensity fattening hybrids.
An important argument for buying organic products is the expected increase in animal welfare. This expectation also played an important role in the decision against the killing of chicks and for the use of dual-purpose chickens. It is therefore of great importance to compare the actual animal welfare on the female and male side for the genotypes currently under discussion.
The vision of the project is to use the abandoning of chick-killing as a real benefit for animal welfare, and at the same time to show economically viable solutions for producers.
Project management and implementation
