Morality of eggs

You published a report and photo of the smashing of 200,000 eggs by irate French farmers to highlight their protest at the high cost of producing eggs in line with the minimum humane standards for laying hens required by the European Union (9 August).

The following day, by chance, the animal charity Viva! released undercover footage of an egg factory’s practice of macerating (grinding up alive) live chicks, a commonplace occurrence among the 40 million male chicks 
disposed of in the UK alone (and presumably a similar figure in France).

By this and other “humane” methods, chicks are killed within a few hours of hatching since they are “useless” to the egg industry.

The appalling sacrifice in terms of such massive animal suffering, callously ignored by this demonstration of wastage, in order to produce the eggs smashed in this publicity stunt, can only revolt and offend the vegan community who forgo the pleasure of egg-based foods for ethical reasons.

However, the daily misery and horror of the whole grisly egg production process should be on the conscience of us all.

James Robertson

Canongate

Edinburgh