A Compassion Over Killing Report:
Animal Suffering in the Egg Industry
Forced Molting
As hens age, egg production slows. In order to induce higher egg production,
most hens are "forced molted"—purposely starved for 10 to 14
days, until 30 percent of body weight is lost—to induce feather growth
and egg production.(53, 54) UEP Guidelines do
not prohibit forced molting through starvation. The withdrawal of food "has
both metabolic and behavioral consequences for poultry," according to Dr.
Mench.(55) During forced molting through feed
withdrawal, the hens exhibit a classical physiological stress response, as well
as signs of "extreme distress such as increased aggression and the formation
of stereotyped pacing."(56, 57) Dr. Duncan
considers the practice "barbaric,"(58)
as it can double the mortality of the flock, and leads to "enormous"
suffering. Dr. Webster states that forced molting by the method of feed withdrawal
"imposes complete calcium deprivation and causes a very rapid decline in
bone strength while hens remain in production."(59)
