[Earthboundchild]

Hi,

I've been vegetarian for four months and a lurker here for the same amount of time (wealth of knowledge is this site!).

Anywho I have a question about hens (which may be stupid so ignore if it is)

I have five hens and three bantoms (they're cute). They have a lovely 'home' - are fed seed and scraps and are let out in the afternoon to run around the huge garden.

I never buy supermarket eggs, but is it wrong to eat my hens eggs? I do, because they're there and I have no rooster. They have a very happy life - even the dogs like them!

I've heard eggs being referred to as 'chicken periods' but is it wrong to eat eggs in my situation? and if you believe so, why?

 

[Eclipse]

Sounds like you'll end up with more eggs then you need/ want unless you have a family. Surprising how many eggs a healthy well cared for hen can lay.

My experiences with chickens is they don't mind their eggs being taken unless they are brooding.

It could be argued that if you don't take the eggs, the hens will eat the eggs themselves and therefore you are depriving them of something.

I don't buy this if you are feeding them a good diet and or they are foraging.

 

[bekajoi]

I figure the big thing to worry about is how they are cared for. I don't support that industry because I don't agree with how they treat the animals.

Your animals are well cared for, loved, and allowed to roam, etc. They are not caged and kept still, they don't have clipped beaks, etc.

If I were in the same situation, I would not hesitated to use the eggs, even give away the ones I could not use myself. If it is an ethical decision, I think you are more than safe.

 

[Keelin]

I see nothing wrong with taking them, so long as you're keeping up their diet like Eclipse mentioned.

In your position, I would, too. This is when it comes down to animal welfare versus personal purity- you know that there's nothing bad happening to your chickens.

I say go for it!

 

[Katt Fink]

Awww, your hennies sound so happy and healthy. They are very lucky to have you. From a vegan standpoint, I see absolutely nothing wrong with using the eggs (as long as the hen doesn't seem upset). You don't buy supermarket eggs, so you're not contributing to that awful industry, and your hens' eggs would just go to waste anyway. This is the least cruel way of acquiring eggs, imo. I admire you for being such a caring hen mommy!

p.s. - you need to get some pictures of the chickies up here!

 

[Earthboundchild]

Thanks for all of your replies!!! I always thought that there would be nothing wrong with eating their eggs in this situation but I use to eat meat and thought that was okay....(haha)!!!

Mmm I can enjoy scambled egg on toast tonight guilt-free(perfect/lazy Sunday meal)!

 

[Eclipse]

I still have pics of mine ( long dead, wild animals/stray dogs killed most of them) somewhere, I should put them online in my gallery.

 

[Earthboundchild]

I will too eventually (and the rest of the animals - including sea monkeys! lol)... talk about computer lazy!!!

 

[tazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthboundchild

Hi,

I've been vegetarian for four months and a lurker here for the same amount of time (wealth of knowledge is this site!).

Anywho I have a question about hens (which may be stupid so ignore if it is)

I have five hens and three bantoms (they're cute). They have a lovely 'home' - are fed seed and scraps and are let out in the afternoon to run around the huge garden.

I never buy supermarket eggs, but is it wrong to eat my hens eggs? I do, because they're there and I have no rooster. They have a very happy life - even the dogs like them!

I've heard eggs being referred to as 'chicken periods' but is it wrong to eat eggs in my situation? and if you believe so, why?

Your post brought back so many of my childhood memories. All of our chickens were pets. We had white ones, red ones, speckled ones, and they all had names. They roamed on nearly 10 acres, had a beautiful out in the country home, had a shed where they gathered at night and laid their eggs every day. Yes, we did have too many eggs! At one point, my Dad made us eat 2 egss every day to use them up! I was a bit tired of eggs back then, but now, I long for such a precious existence for a chicken or two of my own, but unfortunately we live in the city and that is out of the question. So I am really struggling with going egg-free. Scrambled tofu just doesn't quite do it for me!! But I'm working on it!

 

[DoveInGrey]

So long as the eggs are discarded by the chickens and not brooded for, they are just menstrual waste so you aren't being cruel in any way! IMHO it's absolutely fine!

 

[veggielove]

Another who agrees they are totally ethical (and another who is very jealous!!)

 

[liane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoveInGrey

So long as the eggs are discarded by the chickens and not brooded for, they are just menstrual waste so you aren't being cruel in any way! IMHO it's absolutely fine!

LOL, that sounds appetizing!

 

[Eclipse]

Actually I'm not jealious. I may have been one of the few people who had chickens because I wanted companion animals and didn't eat the eggs. I stopped eating eggs before I quit meat.

 

[kpickell]

You could also sell them to neighbors or give them away to people who would otherwise be purchasing the eggs from supermarkets where production methods are inherently cruel.

 

[Thalia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpickell

You could also sell them to neighbors or give them away to people who would otherwise be purchasing the eggs from supermarkets where production methods are inherently cruel.

This is a good idea, too. If I had access to eggs from pet chickens, I would use them to make things that might be difficult to make as well without eggs (since I don't like eating them anyway). Eggs freeze well, I've heard.

 

[Sevenseas]

I read that the eggs should actually be fed back to the hens because they lose nutrients.

 

[Ludi]

It's usually not hard to find people who want homegrown eggs.

I'm happy for your happy chickens!

 

[Earthboundchild]

I give a lot of eggs to friends - but not all the hens produce eggs at the same time, so it's not mass production!!

@seavenseas: I've heard that chickens will eat their eggs when they're low on nutrients, or when they do not have enough calcium(maybe) to keep producing hard shell eggs. This hasn't happened to me though

 

[starseed13]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthboundchild

Hi,

I've been vegetarian for four months and a lurker here for the same amount of time (wealth of knowledge is this site!).

Anywho I have a question about hens (which may be stupid so ignore if it is)

I have five hens and three bantoms (they're cute). They have a lovely 'home' - are fed seed and scraps and are let out in the afternoon to run around the huge garden.

I never buy supermarket eggs, but is it wrong to eat my hens eggs? I do, because they're there and I have no rooster. They have a very happy life - even the dogs like them!

I've heard eggs being referred to as 'chicken periods' but is it wrong to eat eggs in my situation? and if you believe so, why?

Of course not...why would it be? I wish I was in a situation where I could have chickens! Thats awesome!