<p>The "starvation force molting" of egg-laying hens is violative of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the AWBI said Friday.<br /><br />The AWBI's order came after a petition filed by the Humane Society of India (HSI) highlighting the cruel practice that affects over 200 million egg-laying hens in the country, HSI spokesperson N. G. Jayasimha said.<br /><br />"This is a punishable offence. All egg-laying poultry farm owners and integrators are directed to ensure that starvation force molt regime is discontinued with immediate effect," the AWBI order said.<br /><br />Jayasimha explained that chickens molt their plumage annually in a process of feather loss and re-growth that can take several months. During this natural molting process, hens may either reduce their egg output or stop laying eggs totally.<br /><br />"So, depending on economic factors affecting the marketplace, such as egg prices that are currently high, hens used for commercial egg production are either depopulated and replaced with younger pullets after a year, or they may be kept for a second egg-laying cycle following a forced molt," he said.<br /><br />The method of force-molting speeds up the natural molt process and causes a temporary regression of the reproductive tract and cessation of egg-laying.<br /><br />This regime, "starvation force molting", involves keeping the hen without food for two weeks, including a couple of days without water and decrease in daylight hours.<br />By this, the hens can lose up to one-third of their body weight and become highly stressed and display signs of "extreme distress such as increased aggression and the formation of stereotyped pacing".<br /><br />Later, after the starvation forced molting regime is withdrawn, the hens again start laying at the rate of average one egg per day.<br /><br />There are an estimated 200 million egg-laying hens in the country which produce an average of one egg per 24-hour cycle.<br /><br />A majority of the egg-laying hen farms are situated in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and around the national capital region.<br /></p>
<p>The "starvation force molting" of egg-laying hens is violative of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the AWBI said Friday.<br /><br />The AWBI's order came after a petition filed by the Humane Society of India (HSI) highlighting the cruel practice that affects over 200 million egg-laying hens in the country, HSI spokesperson N. G. Jayasimha said.<br /><br />"This is a punishable offence. All egg-laying poultry farm owners and integrators are directed to ensure that starvation force molt regime is discontinued with immediate effect," the AWBI order said.<br /><br />Jayasimha explained that chickens molt their plumage annually in a process of feather loss and re-growth that can take several months. During this natural molting process, hens may either reduce their egg output or stop laying eggs totally.<br /><br />"So, depending on economic factors affecting the marketplace, such as egg prices that are currently high, hens used for commercial egg production are either depopulated and replaced with younger pullets after a year, or they may be kept for a second egg-laying cycle following a forced molt," he said.<br /><br />The method of force-molting speeds up the natural molt process and causes a temporary regression of the reproductive tract and cessation of egg-laying.<br /><br />This regime, "starvation force molting", involves keeping the hen without food for two weeks, including a couple of days without water and decrease in daylight hours.<br />By this, the hens can lose up to one-third of their body weight and become highly stressed and display signs of "extreme distress such as increased aggression and the formation of stereotyped pacing".<br /><br />Later, after the starvation forced molting regime is withdrawn, the hens again start laying at the rate of average one egg per day.<br /><br />There are an estimated 200 million egg-laying hens in the country which produce an average of one egg per 24-hour cycle.<br /><br />A majority of the egg-laying hen farms are situated in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and around the national capital region.<br /></p>