Have you ever heard the saying "no animals die for eggs" as an argument against a vegan lifestyle - or even said it yourself? Every German eats about 214 eggs per year₁ - either directly or as an ingredient in pasta, cakes and other foods. We would have quite a few innocent lives on our consciences if the death of chickens were really necessary. But any reasons must be Vegans have yes for not eating eggs.
So: Do animals have to die for eggs? Here I want to answer this question and finally show you whether the corresponding argument is really an argument or rather a bad excuse.
Do animals have to die for eggs?
You might think so - but the opposite is the case. In the egg industry, for example, chickens die from stress in the cramped, dark cages of the Factory farming. A form of husbandry in which it is legal to keep up to 20 chickens on one square meter - and through which chickens today lay almost three times as many eggs per year as they did in 1950.₂
In order for the chickens to lay eggs under stress for as long a period as possible and not injure each other, their beaks are shortened and antibiotics are administered with the feed. But many succumb to these ordeals and die earlierthan the industry would like. But since chickens are also killed as soon as they no longer lay eggsbut because they are then no longer economical, they also die in the "normal" way - and much too early. So-called hybrid chickens, for example, lay eggs for about 2 years.₃ Their natural lifespan, on the other hand, is 6 - 10 years.₄
Also, did you know that chicks die for eggs? The male chicks do not lay eggs and are therefore uneconomical for the industry immediately after birth. They are then either gassed or shredded alive. In 2017 alone, 45 million chicks died this brutal death in Germany.₅
The claim that no animals have to die for eggs is therefore simply not true. But just suppose that no animals had to die for eggs: why do you like to eat a cholesterol bomb that comes from the cloaca of a chicken, from which urine and feces also leave the animal's body? An image to think about.
Tip: You can get more information about this at Chick Shredding. Be sure to check it out to make yourself aware of what we are doing to animals.
Chickens and hens die for eggs - time to change that!
Did you know that animals die for eggs? Either way, now you know. And you also know that "no animals die for eggs" is just an excuse not to change your eating habits. Realize that what we do to animals is absolutely not necessary and not morally justifiable. This is because we eat eggs merely out of habit and for taste. This is also one of the reasons why, in my opinion. not enough to be "only" vegetarian.
As long as you buy eggs, you are supporting this brutal industry. Eggs are really easy to replace. For example, use the sulfur salt Kala Namak to mimic the taste - or tomato paste, flaxseed, soy flour and applesauce, as an alternative binder. With the Articles about vegan life you get a good start! Good luck!
Stay sustainable,
PS.: Unfortunately, death is not all that hens and chicks face. It is also the cruelty to animals - for example by beak trimming in factory farming. Be sure to check out the Dominion film that will make you more aware of the extent of the egg industry. Then you can still freely decide whether you want to continue eating eggs.
References:
₁ Bayerischer Rundfunk: Welt in Zahlen - Eier, available at https://t1p.de/gch8. [19.07.2020].
₂ German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL): Neue Wege für mehr Tierwohl - Ein Magazin des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft, 1st edition, January 2016, p. 7.
₃ H. Froehlich: How long do chickens lay eggs?, available at https://t1p.de/fv8g. [26.06.2020].
₄ HEINICOOP UG: Life expectancy of chickens, available at https://t1p.de/k6le. [26.06.2020].
₅ Süddeutsche Zeitung GmbH (2019): The slaughter continues (as at: 03/29/2019). https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/kuekenschreddern-das-gemetzel-geht-weiter-1.3924618. [08 OCT. 2019].
