Chickens kept in gardens will have to be registered under planned new rules; WHILE FEMALES ARE SENT
TO FARMS TO LAY EGGS, MALES ARE CONSIDERED AN UNDESIRABLE BY-PRODUCT FOR BOTH THE EGG INDUSTRY, OBVIOUSLY,
AND THE MEAT INDUSTRY, AS THESE CHICKS PUT ON WEIGHT TOO SLOWLY, AND PRODUCE ONLY SMALL QUANTITIES OF MEAT
AT SLAUGHTER AGE; EVERY YEAR, ALMOST 330 MILLION DAY-OLD MALE CHICKS ARE KILLED IN HATCHERIES IN THE EU. THE CULLING HAPPENS A FEW HOURS AFTER HATCHING, UNDER THE CHANGES THERE WILL BE NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL BIRD KEEPERS - REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THEIR FLOCK - TO OFFICIALLY REGISTER THEIR BIRDS. OWNERS WILL NEED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, INCLUDING THEIR CONTACT DETAILS, THE LOCATION WHERE BIRDS ARE KEPT AND DETAILS OF THE BIRDS, SUCH AS SPECIES, NUMBER AND WHAT THEY ARE KEPT FOR.
IN ENGLAND AND WALES, KEEPERS HAVE UNTIL 1 OCTOBER 2024 TO REGISTER, WHILE IN SCOTLAND, THE DEADLINE IS 1 SEPTEMBER.