01/18/2023
Happy Tuesday all! For information about the eggs you may be buying from the store, please read below. ⬇️
When shopping at the grocery store, you may notice there are a few different categories of eggs. These may include "Conventional/Caged," "Cage-Free," and "Free Range." Let's break these down.
Convential/Battery Caged: 1-5 hens are allotted one cage of 67 square inches (this is less than the size of one piece of letter sized paper) in which they are confined to 24 hours a day. They do not have the opportunity to roost, nest, or stretch for the entirety of their lives. Unfortunately the majority of egg laying hens in the United States (approx. 70%) are battery caged.
Cage Free: Cage free eggs according to the USDA are "laid by hens that are able to roam vertically and horizontally in indoor houses and have access to fresh food and water." This means that while these chickens may not be stuck in a cage, up to 50,000 of them are confined to one building where they will never go outside or even see sunlight. These hens will have a higher mortality rate than even the battery caged hens due to the fecal-oral exposure in these buildings, as well as cannibalism as a result of pecking order.
Free Range: The USDA's requirements for free range eggs are that hens have "access" to the outdoors. In some cases this may even be a "pop hole" that does not allow full body access. USDA approved free range chickens ultimately end up living similar to cage free ones. However, HFAC Certified Humane's requirements of free range are that 2 sq ft. is permitted per bird. They also state that hens must be outdoors, at least 6 hours per day, seasonally only.
The reality of store bought eggs is this: The chickens laying them are sometimes starved to encourage molting (which then regulates egg laying). 6,000,000,000 male chicks that are hatched in production are destroyed (usually by grinding them alive) annually in the U.S. because they do not contribute to egg production. Some producers remove parts of the beak in the first few days (to prevent cannibalism and pecking). There are nerve endings in the beak and many of these birds will die of shock from this procedure.
With egg prices 49% higher than last year due to feed costs and the avian flu outbreak, I will leave you with this: Your small farm, local chickens produce a richer, darker, and denser yolk. They are outside all day, every day. They have owners that tend to them daily and give them all-natural treats. The best part is: Most locally owned egg producers are selling better quality eggs for a cheaper price!
If you found anything knowledgeable within this post, I urge you to share it. We want everyone to know the truth behind large egg production, and as always we hope you choose to buy local!
