Sustainable egg producer NestFresh has unveiled its first set of in-ovo sexed chicks born and delivered to its Texas, US farm, using the “Cheggy” in-ovo sexing technology. The non-invasive method is touted as a “giant leap in animal welfare” and analyzes light spectra to determine chick gender based on feather color. 

The technique reduces the need to euthanize male chicks after hatching by up to 97% and safeguards embryo quality.

“This is a transformative moment for the egg industry and animal welfare in the US,” says Jasen Urena, executive VP at NestFresh.

“By being the first US egg company to adopt in-ovo sexing technology, we are tackling one of the most difficult ethical issues in egg production and raising the standard for animal welfare — starting before our hens are even born.”

Nearly 260 million male chicks are slaughtered each year in the US, according to animal welfare organization Animal Equality. This amounts to around 30,000 freshly hatched chicks every hour, since male chicks cannot lay eggs and they are not the same breed of chicken used for meat.

In-ovo sexing prevents male chicks culling by preventing them from hatching in the first place. The male eggs are removed from incubation early on, so only female chicks emerge from the eggs after 21 days of incubation.

Amid the rising consumer demand for ethically produced foods, NestFresh plans to introduce the first eggs sourced from in-ovo sexed hens to the US market by June 2025.

Leveraging speed and efficiency

NestFresh believes Cheggy’s sustainable approach addresses one of the egg industry’s most pressing ethical challenges and aims to set a new benchmark for humane and modern egg production.

The company claims to be the first to adopt the technology in the country, which is developed by German-based Agri-Advanced Technologies. It can sort up to 25,000 brown layer hatching eggs per hour and is the “fastest” system of its kind.

The machine uses hyperspectral measurement technology and has a compact design that integrates seamlessly into existing production lines, notes the company.

Driving humane egg production

Last week, NestFresh, Certified Humane, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Innovate Animal Agriculture attended the “first-ever” in-ovo sexed eggs processed through the Cheggy system at hatcheries in Wilton, Iowa and Bryan, Texas. The move marked a “monumental achievement” for NestFresh and the US egg industry, notes the California-based firm.

The introduction of Cheggy technology to NestFresh operations follows its successful implementation in Europe, wher it has become a “market leader in brown layer in-ovo sexing,” notes NestFresh. 

“By bringing this solution to the US, NestFresh is paving the way for more responsible egg production practices across the industry.”

In April, US-based Egg Innovations also announced its intentions to adopt in-ovo sexing technology to support ethical egg production. Scheduled to roll out next year, the company plans to leverage its regenerative farming Helpful Hens brand to introduce this approach to global consumers.