NestFresh Introduces U.S. Eggs from In-Ovo Sexed Hens, Spares Millions of Male Chicks Annually

NestFresh, a prominent specialty egg producer, has launched its new "Humanely Hatched™" eggs in the United States, marking the first commercial availability of eggs from hens hatched using in-ovo sexing technology. This innovation, which began reaching grocery store shelves in July 2025, aims to eliminate the controversial practice of culling day-old male chicks in the egg industry. The move positions NestFresh at the forefront of animal welfare advancements in the U.S. egg market.

In-ovo sexing technology determines the sex of a chick embryo before it hatches, preventing the incubation and subsequent culling of male chicks. NestFresh utilizes the Cheggy system, developed by Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT), which employs hyperspectral imaging to identify the sex of brown layer embryos at around 13 days of incubation. This process directly addresses the industry-wide issue where male chicks, unable to lay eggs and unsuitable for meat production, are typically euthanized shortly after hatching.

Jasen Urena, Executive Vice President of NestFresh, emphasized the significance of this development. "Humanely Hatched™ represents years of collaboration, innovation, and commitment to doing what’s right," Urena stated, adding that the company is "honored to be the first to bring U.S. consumers eggs from hens humanely selected before hatch, verified by Certified Humane®." The eggs carry the Certified Humane® "Approved Hatchery Operations" certification, ensuring third-party verification of the welfare claims.

The introduction of these eggs aligns the U.S. market with practices gaining traction in Europe, where countries like France and Germany have largely ended male chick culling. Lewis Bollard, a notable advocate for animal welfare, expressed optimism regarding this shift, stating in a recent tweet:

"Exciting to see the first eggs go on sale in the US that don't involve the killing of day-old male chicks. Nest Fresh's 'humanely hatched' eggs come from hens hatched via in-ovo sexing. France and Germany have now mostly ended chick killing; hopefully the US will soon too."

While in-ovo sexing technology has been slower to adopt in the U.S. compared to Europe, NestFresh's initiative is a pivotal step. The United Egg Producers (UEP) also announced a new certification program, Hatch Check, in June 2025, to verify the use of in-ovo sexing technologies. This collective movement signals a significant paradigm shift towards more humane and sustainable egg production, potentially sparing hundreds of millions of male chicks annually in the U.S. alone.