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Open petition: Ban egg hatching programs in schools and nurseries

Created by Gráinne O’Toole
Closes on

We request:
- The immediate ban of all egg hatching programs in schools and nurseries.
- The development and promotion of alternative educational resources that communicate similar concepts without involving live animals.

We believe egg-hatching projects raise serious animal welfare concerns. Embryos can experience stress during artificial incubation, and many chicks are killed soon after hatching, sending a harmful message about the value of animal life. Incubators misrepresent the natural lifecycle by removing the mother hen, so children miss learning about maternal care and natural behaviour. Schools can teach life cycles effectively through videos, virtual simulations and classroom activities without using live animals.

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    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 16 October 2026.