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Read More Here:
http://www.veggieboards.com/articles/10-top-reasons-to-stop-eating-eggs/
Author Credit: Article provided by @Werewolf Girl
10 Top Reasons To Stop Eating Eggs
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http://www.veggieboards.com/articles/10-top-reasons-to-stop-eating-eggs/
Author Credit: Article provided by @Werewolf Girl
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But, hypothetically, if I were to kidnap (chicken-nap?) a hen from a farm, or a warehouse, and provide it with the perfect amount of care and attention, would it be morally acceptable to eat the eggs it lays?
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But since you don't need to eat eggs for either the nutrition or the taste, why would you? The longer we hold to the false notion that somehow eggs are necessary for either our health or tastebuds, the longer chickens will continue to be enslaved. Stopping consumption completely will do far more for chickens than perpetuating the myth that all we need to do is find happy eggs and everything will be ok.
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That way of thinking seems comparable to removing a mentally challenged person from an abusive environment, then reconciling your efforts by stealing their belongings they wouldn't miss.
Or wearing
The best way to judge if your actions are ethical is to think of the impact those actions would have if everyone followed them.
Taking eggs from a chicken you've rescued shows that you desire them, and if they are so desirable than why shouldn't everyone be able to have them?
The fact is they're not neccessary, and any health benefits are best utilized by the chickens themselves, and wild animals that come across them
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The idea of people eating eggs is extremely disturbing. What's even more disturbing is searing their beaks off and grinding the chicks up alive. That is seriously not right. Leave the chickens alone.
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Great article. Is this an original article for the forum?
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Not sure if you're trolling, but in my view it would be (borderline) provided the chicken was not paying attention to the eggs.
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Eggs were actually the first foods I gave up, even before meat, and I think they are probably more immoral than some meats.
However I wonder if vegans might be better off conceding the arguments, or side stepping them, when this kind of backyard chicken argument comes up. It is such a minor issue compared to the intense cruelty on modern day egg farms, that a better answer might be: "not sure, but what's more important is that you don't buy any eggs at the shop, since that is really cruel" and push the argument back in that direction. Most people asking that question (assume they're not trolling you) are just testing out how extreme vegans are. They are not really going to raise backyard chickens.
I realise this is not a very vegan argument, but as a matter of reducing animal cruelty, making your arguments more acceptable and palatable to the general population, and not seeming extreme, it may make some sense. Once the person enquiring has seen that vegans are not a bunch of extremists, they can become vegan, and probably will never raise backyard chickens anyway.
I cannot accept that it is fundamentally immoral to eat an egg in every situation. The real issue is that in practice it will be immoral in at least 99.9% of cases and I think that's what the argument should be. Let's say tomorrow I find a chicken plant nearby is closing down and all the chickens are being killed. I go there and ask to rescue one. They agree. I take her home. I keep her for a while in an environment, my garden, where she has no predators, and no fences, and could in theory wander off into the nearby forest and become a wild chicken, but she chooses to stay in my garden where I give her food and treat her as a friend. One day, she lays an egg and dies later that day in an accident (ie not for health reasons so I know the egg is fine). I bury the chicken respectfully. I know for certain that the egg is unfertilised because she has had no contact with other chickens for a year. In this situation, it can't be immoral to eat the egg, can it?
I wouldn't eat the egg in that situation, but I wouldn't say it would be wrong to do so.
However I wonder if vegans might be better off conceding the arguments, or side stepping them, when this kind of backyard chicken argument comes up. It is such a minor issue compared to the intense cruelty on modern day egg farms, that a better answer might be: "not sure, but what's more important is that you don't buy any eggs at the shop, since that is really cruel" and push the argument back in that direction. Most people asking that question (assume they're not trolling you) are just testing out how extreme vegans are. They are not really going to raise backyard chickens.
I realise this is not a very vegan argument, but as a matter of reducing animal cruelty, making your arguments more acceptable and palatable to the general population, and not seeming extreme, it may make some sense. Once the person enquiring has seen that vegans are not a bunch of extremists, they can become vegan, and probably will never raise backyard chickens anyway.
I cannot accept that it is fundamentally immoral to eat an egg in every situation. The real issue is that in practice it will be immoral in at least 99.9% of cases and I think that's what the argument should be. Let's say tomorrow I find a chicken plant nearby is closing down and all the chickens are being killed. I go there and ask to rescue one. They agree. I take her home. I keep her for a while in an environment, my garden, where she has no predators, and no fences, and could in theory wander off into the nearby forest and become a wild chicken, but she chooses to stay in my garden where I give her food and treat her as a friend. One day, she lays an egg and dies later that day in an accident (ie not for health reasons so I know the egg is fine). I bury the chicken respectfully. I know for certain that the egg is unfertilised because she has had no contact with other chickens for a year. In this situation, it can't be immoral to eat the egg, can it?
I wouldn't eat the egg in that situation, but I wouldn't say it would be wrong to do so.
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I can't wait for the day when eggs are no longer even considered food, whether they are laid naturally or not. They are so unnecessary.
Also, with regard to backyard chickens and eggs, not many people will buy from these due to the expense and inconvenience of acquiring them (especially if the seller/owner doesn't force the chicken to lay eggs but relies on their natural ability) compared to cheap factory farmed eggs... let alone spend the time and energy it takes to care for a backyard chicken (housing, food, cleaning up after them, learning local laws about how and where it is appropriate to keep them, what happens when they become sick and need vet care, finding a vet willing to help a chicken, keeping them safe from other animals such as neighborhood cats, foxes, raccoons etc).
My coworkers have been fascinated with how I manage to make a variety of dishes egg free and they still taste awesome! I have at least one coworker who now makes chickpea bars with no egg.
Great article!
Also, with regard to backyard chickens and eggs, not many people will buy from these due to the expense and inconvenience of acquiring them (especially if the seller/owner doesn't force the chicken to lay eggs but relies on their natural ability) compared to cheap factory farmed eggs... let alone spend the time and energy it takes to care for a backyard chicken (housing, food, cleaning up after them, learning local laws about how and where it is appropriate to keep them, what happens when they become sick and need vet care, finding a vet willing to help a chicken, keeping them safe from other animals such as neighborhood cats, foxes, raccoons etc).
My coworkers have been fascinated with how I manage to make a variety of dishes egg free and they still taste awesome! I have at least one coworker who now makes chickpea bars with no egg.
Great article!
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It is, thanks! Written by me.
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Well done with the article, let's how it finds it way to a wide audience via lurkers on this forum, shares on facebook over time, or whatever.
You make a good point about recipes. When I stopped eating eggs, I just stopped eating eggs. There was no need to replace them with anything. But then, I don't do recipes. Either someone else makes my food or I just make ready made stuff. But for someone that has recipes books, that is a concern. I assume you are supposed to use any one of the things you mention as a replacement - rather than all of them at once!
You make a good point about recipes. When I stopped eating eggs, I just stopped eating eggs. There was no need to replace them with anything. But then, I don't do recipes. Either someone else makes my food or I just make ready made stuff. But for someone that has recipes books, that is a concern. I assume you are supposed to use any one of the things you mention as a replacement - rather than all of them at once!
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"VB" is nothing more than the owner/manager. Apparently the ads produce enough revenue to keep them coming.
Werewolf Girl wrote the article--it's only the members who care about promoting veg'nism
I've been using adblocker so I don't see them
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Love Eggs...
I try to eat an egg a day if practical...
Agree with everything in this article except the back yard prospects.
It is absolutely ludicrous that anyone would take a position that small locally maintained farms should not embrace eggs..
Every other point made would see an improvement if there was an increase in this area.
I'm really not sure if vegetarians and vegans are compatible in a way that can move us toward common goals with regard to the nefarious standard practices of the factory farm industry.
Keep this one quote in mind Vegan Overlords....
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
I don't see that.
Vegans wants to criticize and maintain positions that degrade vegetarians.
I love my Greek Yogurt, Eggs and great cheese from all over the world and if you have a problem with that....
It's your hang up not mine.
I try to eat an egg a day if practical...
Agree with everything in this article except the back yard prospects.
It is absolutely ludicrous that anyone would take a position that small locally maintained farms should not embrace eggs..
Every other point made would see an improvement if there was an increase in this area.
I'm really not sure if vegetarians and vegans are compatible in a way that can move us toward common goals with regard to the nefarious standard practices of the factory farm industry.
Keep this one quote in mind Vegan Overlords....
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
I don't see that.
Vegans wants to criticize and maintain positions that degrade vegetarians.
I love my Greek Yogurt, Eggs and great cheese from all over the world and if you have a problem with that....
It's your hang up not mine.
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@Ozzy--
Every living thing is food. Vegans simply acknowledge that when plant foods are so easily available taking from others shouldn't be a consideration.
It seems that few people even argue about this that actually have need of food, but mostly those who have other options.
You've heard of the expensive coffee that comes from civet cats? They eat the coffee beans, poop it out, and somehow people have discovered that they can brew a coffee from those beans that they favor. I suppose all was good when it was just the native jungle population that picked through the poop without disturbing anything, but when it's desirability got out, it turned ugly. Outsiders saw it as opportunity, and like the innocent egg gathering, saw profit.
Now people are asking for humane sources of this 'desirable' coffee--just as they are wanting humane eggs.
It isn't the question of whether or not it's "possible" for eggs to be ethically sourced, it's the idea that it perpetuates a demand for them. That demand cannot be sustained by backyard farmers.
It isn't just food, eggs are used in everything from pharmacudicals, health and beauty products, paints, and tons of other products. While there aren't viable alternatives for some medical uses now, there are alternatives to most others. Continuing to argue or promote the idea of humane eggs does nothing but avert the attention away from the plight of factory hens-which is where these products get there eggs from.
The vast majority of people simple want eggs. They may 'care' about where they come from, maybe enough to choose the carton with a 'humane' stamp on it, but what it really comes down to is they want them cheap, and convienent. They may have made a trip to a farm and purchased directly from where they could see the happy hens, and they will tell that story of happy hens over and over
Really what constitutes 'backyard chickens"? Does seeing a sign in someones yard that reads "fresh eggs for sale" give any information on how the hens are treated? Kinda like the backyard dog breeders are often puppy mills? Yeah, we don't need breeders either
Every living thing is food. Vegans simply acknowledge that when plant foods are so easily available taking from others shouldn't be a consideration.
It seems that few people even argue about this that actually have need of food, but mostly those who have other options.
You've heard of the expensive coffee that comes from civet cats? They eat the coffee beans, poop it out, and somehow people have discovered that they can brew a coffee from those beans that they favor. I suppose all was good when it was just the native jungle population that picked through the poop without disturbing anything, but when it's desirability got out, it turned ugly. Outsiders saw it as opportunity, and like the innocent egg gathering, saw profit.
From https://www.theguardian.com/sustain...st-expensive-brew-made-sustainably-kopi-luwak
Now people are asking for humane sources of this 'desirable' coffee--just as they are wanting humane eggs.
It isn't the question of whether or not it's "possible" for eggs to be ethically sourced, it's the idea that it perpetuates a demand for them. That demand cannot be sustained by backyard farmers.
It isn't just food, eggs are used in everything from pharmacudicals, health and beauty products, paints, and tons of other products. While there aren't viable alternatives for some medical uses now, there are alternatives to most others. Continuing to argue or promote the idea of humane eggs does nothing but avert the attention away from the plight of factory hens-which is where these products get there eggs from.
The vast majority of people simple want eggs. They may 'care' about where they come from, maybe enough to choose the carton with a 'humane' stamp on it, but what it really comes down to is they want them cheap, and convienent. They may have made a trip to a farm and purchased directly from where they could see the happy hens, and they will tell that story of happy hens over and over
Really what constitutes 'backyard chickens"? Does seeing a sign in someones yard that reads "fresh eggs for sale" give any information on how the hens are treated? Kinda like the backyard dog breeders are often puppy mills? Yeah, we don't need breeders either
The whole reason I went veggie was because of my rescued bird, Ziggy. She had night frights and was feather plucking when I got her and now she's finally doing a lot better. After I saw how much of a personality and capacity to enjoy life birds have and how sad and scared they can become in the wrong environment - there was no way I could continue supporting the egg industry (or meat in general obvi).
I LEGIT bought my eggs from a local farm. I think that the whole 'happily raised' thing is a total load of [email protected] Guarantee they'd be happier if they didn't have to lay eggs for humans. Birds are intelligent and really do need specialized care if humans are interfering with their natural lives.
Didn't know about force molting, really great post including a lot of useful info!!
I LEGIT bought my eggs from a local farm. I think that the whole 'happily raised' thing is a total load of [email protected] Guarantee they'd be happier if they didn't have to lay eggs for humans. Birds are intelligent and really do need specialized care if humans are interfering with their natural lives.
Didn't know about force molting, really great post including a lot of useful info!!
Although it is difficult to not jump up and down with emotion when giving reasons why not to eat eggs (factory farm torture tactics), I can certainly agree that it is better to light a candle and show the way instead.
- The more palatable we make our foods, the more people we strive to expose to vegan foods (w/o saying anything about animal torture), the more likely people will be to eventually attempt conversion to veganism.
- I need to work on controlling my emotions, for the sake of the animals.
- The more palatable we make our foods, the more people we strive to expose to vegan foods (w/o saying anything about animal torture), the more likely people will be to eventually attempt conversion to veganism.
- I need to work on controlling my emotions, for the sake of the animals.
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The egg industry and the dairy industry make me infinitely sad, and anyone who has seen even a fraction of the truth of these horrible practices cannot in good conscience argue for why it's OK. The theories under which circumstances eating an egg would/could be acceptable are pointless, because the fact is, as @silva so eloquently pointed out, ANY consumption of these products perpetuates the demand for them, and there is no sustainable and ethical way to meet these demands in today's world. The only reason to have backyard chickens, IMO, is to give a loving home to retired hens, or rescue chicks that would have otherwise been destroyed. I would love help rescue chickens one day, because I think they are adorable, intelligent, funny birds with wonderful personalities. If they lay an egg, it's theirs to keep, not mine to steal <3 ^^
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We have a discussion forum tutorial here: http://www.veggieboards.com/index.php?page=discussion-forum-tutorialNot necessarily about the thread, but how do I post a discussion? Can't seem to figure it out! agh!
Let me know if you still need help!
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