Israeli researchers say they have developed hens that only give birth to females.
Billions of chickens are killed each year because they don't lay eggs.
There is no trace of the original genetic alterations on the female chick and her eggs.
The research was supported by the animal welfare group.
The chief scientist of the project, Dr Yuval Cinnamon from the Volcani institute near Tel Aviv, said that the development of the golda hen would have a huge impact on animal welfare.
He said that he was happy that the system had been developed for the benefit of the chickens but also for everyone on the planet.
The scientists have altered the genes in the Golda hens to stop the development of male embryos in eggs that they lay. Eggs are exposed to blue light for a long time.
The blue light does not affect female chick embryo development. The eggs they lay have no additional genetic material inside them.
Consumers will get the same eggs as farmers will get the same chickens. Eggs will be exposed to blue light in the production process.
Scientists who are not part of the research group have not been able to assess the claims because the team has not published their research.
The Israeli team has collaborated with the UK based animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming, who have visited the firm and followed the research for three years. The breakthrough could be a really important development for animal welfare.
Gene editing of farm animals is something I am very cautious of. He said that he and his colleagues at CIWF were in support of the case.
The next step is to see if the hen and the female chick she produces, who will lay eggs for human consumption, can go through a commercial lifespan without any unforeseen welfare issues.
The UK Parliament is considering legislation that would allow limited gene editing for commercial farming. Once the bill is passed early next year, it is thought that the regulations will be loosened gradually, allowing the technology to be used only for plants.
The government considers GE to be more acceptable than GM. GM usually adds genes from another species, while GE usually removes genes.
Seven billion male chicks are slaughtered by the egg-production industry every year because they are not worth anything. Firms have to sort males from females quickly after they hatch.
At the beginning of the year, the German government banned the killing of male chicks. The French want to start next year. Many EU nations have called for EU-wide legislation in regards to the practice. The UK government hasn't commented on the issue.
The system is at an advanced stage of development and the team is working with breeders to refine the process.
"After many years of research, there were many difficult challenges that we successfully overcame, and I hope that the industry will adopt it very soon," he said.
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