Is 'forced moulting' legal in Australia?

Forced moulting starves laying hens for ten days

1 - 3 of 3 posts

Pizza_babey WA • Posts: 7

1 14 Mar 2016

I have just learned about forced moulting in the book Farmageddon by Philip Lymbery with Isabel Oakeshott.

Once a year, hens will moult their feathers and grow new feathers, during this period they stop laying. In the egg industry, they will either induce this process with stress, or once it starts, they will force the hens to moult faster, by starving them for 7-14 days. It is banned in the UK and virtually obsolete in Canada but I can't find any info for Australia.

Besides the fact that starving the hens is completely unacceptable, many hens will die during this process, or get very sick as their immune systems are already compromised.

Does anyone know if this is legal in Australia?

Sorry if there's already a thread on this topic, if so, can someone link me?
Thanks guys

robert99 Sweden • Posts: 1360

2 14 Mar 2016

"RSPCA Australia is opposed to the practice of forced moulting, where food and water are withheld for extended periods to extend the productive life of layer hens, as it causes the hen unnecessary distress. "
http://kb.rspca.org.au/RSPCA-Policy-B4-Farm-animal-husbandry-and-management_167.html

This practice of food withdrawal has been widely questioned throughout the world and is already prohibited in Australia and the European Union, and prohibited in the United States by the egg industry's animal husbandry programme.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/22909/end-to-starvation-force-moulting-of-laying-hens/

9.5 Moult Inducement and Controlled Feeding

9.5.1 Moult inducement or controlled feeding practices should be carried out only on healthy birds under close management supervision and under conditions that will not cause cold stress. Substitution of a high fibre diet, for example, whole barley or oats is acceptable provided birds eat 40-60 gm/day. Diets that the birds will not eat must not be used. Adequate feeding space is necessary during such practices.

9.5.2 Electric pulse wires should not be used to control feeding. Wires to deter birds from perching over feed or water containers or to prevent egg pecking must be live only for necessary training periods.

9.5.3 Methods of moult inducement and controlled feeding which totally deprive birds of food or water for more than 24 hours must not be used.
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare/animal-welfare-legislation/victorian-codes-of-practice-for-animal-welfare/code-of-accepted-farming-practice-for-the-welfare-of-poultry

Seems like it's down to State legislation - Victoria's is above.

+ 1

Pizza_babey WA • Posts: 7

3 14 Mar 2016

Wow thanks for the detailed reply.
Looks like for Victoria, no hens can go for more than 24 hours without food.
I had a look at the Codes of Practice for Poultry in Western Australia (where I am), they have a similar policy for laying hens:

https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/sites/gateway/files/Code%20of%20Practice%20for%20Poultry%20in%20Western%20Australia_0.pdf

"9.1
Poultry, other than newly-hatched birds, must have
access to food at least once in each 24-hour period.
The complete withholding of food for longer periods is
not acceptable except in the case of broiler breeder birds
or layer pullets, where ‘skip-a-day’ feeding is an
acceptable industry practice for maintaining bird health
and productivity."

But apparently broiler chickens are denied food in a pattern for "productivity."

Very glad we don't have the 7-10 day denial of food like in the US.