Early feeding to become mandatory

The case was brought forward by Dutch animal welfare organisation Wakker Dier in 2013 and applies to 2 specific hatcheries, named in the case. These 2 have been subject to a penalty payment, if they don’t comply within 5 years. However, in its ruling, the regulatory body decided that the 5-year period applies to the entire broiler sector.

Until the current ruling, hatcheries where allowed a 60-hour period before chicks should have access to water and feed. In day to day practice that would mean that the chicks were provided with feed and water, after their arrival at the broiler farm. However, Wakker Dier argued that it is contrary to the Decree on the welfare of production animals and the Health and Welfare Act for animals.

Enforcement

Welfare organisation Wakker Dier asked the Dutch food inspection agency NVWA to enforce this new rule. Initially, this was refused, but after years of legal battles, the regulator body established in 2018 on the basis of a study by the Wageningen University that chicks should have water and feed within 36 hours at the latest. As not all hatcheries have the possibility to supply water and feed in the hatcher, and procurement of the equipment cannot be immediate, a 5 year transition period was granted. That said, recent developments in on farm hatching are mitigating the need for an all out replacement of hatchery equipment.