Indians encouraged to report hen starvation practice

Humane Society International has launched a confidential whistleblower program in India to allow concerned citizens to anonymously report the practice of starving hens to induce molting.

The program was launched after the Animal Welfare Board of India directed all poultry farms in the country to immediately discontinue starvation force molt regimes, stating that the practice is in violation of India’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, and a punishable offence.

“Once HSI receives a report about starvation molting on a particular farm, we will work with the state animal husbandry department, SPCA, the Animal Welfare Board of India, and the state animal welfare board to investigate the matter,” said N.G. Jayasimha, manager of HSI’s factory farming campaign in India.

Starvation force molting, widely practiced on egg production facilities throughout India, deprives egg-laying hens of food for up to 14 days and may be combined with one to two days of water deprivation, in order to rejuvenate their reproductive tracts and stimulate additional cycles of egg production. A ban was placed on the practice earlier this year.

HSI has opened a confidential drop box, starvinghens@hsi.org, for anyone wishing to share information.