free range eggs

[snownose]

For the non-vegans, do you know of any brand of eggs that are cage free or free range? i can't find any at safeway, and i dont think my parents will drive to wholefoods just for eggs!

[oriecat]

I think egg brands will vary a LOT by location.

[kpickell]

I don't trust any of the brands sold at supermarkets. The undercover investigations of cage free farms have revealed conditions often worse than those found at factory farms. So, your best bet is to find a local farmer whose farm you can visit, and purchase only from there.

[karenlovessnow]

You are obviously in a different location than me as I don't have safeway or wholefoods here. WE have a lot of brands that say they are cage free and free range. You might want to do some research. Free range are supposedly better than cage free. I went vegan because I read that the regulations are not very good for cage free/range free eggs. If you find a brand near you, see if they have a website and check it out. I was using a few brands, Eggland's Best, Land o Lakes and something else, I cant remember. Turns out they still cut the beaks on the chickens so I decided to just not eat eggs anymore. So you might want to check it out some more.

[Ludi]

Free range/cage free doesn't tell you anything except the birds are let out into a yard some of the time. It can be a filthy dirt yard. But that's basically the deal, they aren't indoors all the time, but they are nothing like really free range.

[Morna]

Free-range just means there's a door open for the hens to get out. But lots of times they are packed so close in barns that about half the hens can't get to the door. Check and see if hens are debeaked (some free-range hens are). If they are not, that means the farmers have to give them enough space to participate in pecking-orders without injury.

Nest Fresh eggs are the most humane I've been able to find. They are usually available at supermarkets.

[*Sunflower*]

If you go to Trader Joe's they have cage-free eggs. I can't say they're humane, but I guess less-inhumane than consuming regular eggs. I'm going to ask my mom if she'll start buying those instead since my family doesn't use a lot of eggs, since I'm vegan and my dad isn't allowed to eat them, and it'd be better than buying the regular eggs.

[MRSSHF]

I don't eat eggs, but once in a great while I will cook some for my husband. I purchase those eggs at my local-coop. They are locally raised, and you can go out and visit the small farm to verify that the chickens are treated well.

[lilac wine]

If you would like for the chickens to be "free" in any real sense, and it sounds like you would, why not set a goal to reduce and eventually eliminate eggs and products containing them from your diet? It's actually, in my experience anyway, much easier than you'd think. :)

Remember "free-range" does not mean welfare-friendly, and also that those birds, regardless of the conditions in which they live, are killed after a few years of being used as egg-machines. And that their brothers (all of the boys) are seen as useless "garbage" and killed as babies, just like on battery egg "farms".

The "free range" farm near me kills the "spent" layer hens by gassing them to death en masse in a metal drum. Doesn't seem very humane to me. Neither does having one's throat slit in a slaughterhouse. True "freedom" by definition cannot include having one's very life stolen, but that is what happens in the commercial egg industry, whether "free range" or not.

[FreshTart]

If you would like for the chickens to be "free" in any real sense, and it sounds like you would, why not set a goal to reduce and eventually eliminate eggs and products containing them from your diet? It's actually, in my experience anyway, much easier than you'd think. :)

Remember "free-range" does not mean welfare-friendly, and also that those birds, regardless of the conditions in which they live, are killed after a few years of being used as egg-machines. And that their brothers (all of the boys) are seen as useless "garbage" and killed as babies, just like on battery egg "farms".

The "free range" farm near me kills the "spent" layer hens by gassing them to death en masse in a metal drum. Doesn't seem very humane to me. Neither does having one's throat slit in a slaughterhouse. True "freedom" by definition cannot include having one's very life stolen, but that is what happens in the commercial egg industry, whether "free range" or not.

She asked for brands that we like, not an AR rant.

--

I'm in Canada and I buy either from the farmer's market or I buy from the grocery store and my brand is a local one, so I'm of no use.

Since you are talking about your parents, I assume you're still in your teens. Ask around at school is anyone raises pet chickens, then have them ask their parents if you can buy eggs from them. Around here, either you know someone or you know someone who knows someone, or you at least know where the farmer's market is for the chickens. Pet chickens are always the best, as they are, well, pets. Pet chickens mean there is no issue with the male chicks, as most people I know don't have roosters, just females.

[lilac wine]

She asked for brands that we like, not an AR rant.

I was respectful of the original poster, and posted an explanation of factual reality- not a "rant". Because snownose seems to want to become a more compassionate consumer and is seeking out information to help him/her do so, it seems like a completely appropriate place to offer a glimpse into the larger picture of egg production.

You're the one bringing attitude where it doesn't need to be.




Pet chickens are always the best, as they are, well, pets. Pet chickens mean there is no issue with the male chicks, as most people I know don't have roosters, just females.

I agree that that is generally a much "better" situation, but as far as there being "no issue" with male chicks, that's a fallacy. Where do the people get the "pet" chickens from? And what happens to their infant brothers there (where they are born), whether that is in a hatchery or on a farm? etc. "No issue" doesn't wash. This has been discussed at length in other threads, so I'll simply leave it at that.

[FreshTart]

Again, this isn't an AR thread. If you want to discuss pet chickens, feel free to start another thread.

[lilac wine]

Again, this isn't an AR thread. If you want to discuss pet chickens, feel free to start another thread.

You're right, it's not. It's a thread about commercially produced eggs. Which is what we were talking about until you came along- Since you're the one who brought up pet chickens in the first place, perhaps you should consider your own advice and start another thread about that while the rest of us continue our on-topic discussion. :up:

[FreshTart]

Thanks lilac. Sorry for mentioning how to get free run eggs, which are on topic, as opposed to telling her to give up eggs all together because of the ethics of eggs.

:rolleyes:

[FreshTart]

safeway

Safeway sells Safeway brand here of organic, free run eggs. It comes in a 6 pack.