The washing of the eggs is an American "habit". It destroys the protective membrane that keeps out bacteria, thus the eggs must be refrigerated from day one. This is a wasteful measure on many accounts. Unwashed eggs will last at least two weeks unrefrigerated and three months or more in the refrigerator. If the eggs are soiled and MUST be washed, use warm water and try to use them immediately. Washed eggs will last at least 2 months in the refrigerator but won't taste as fresh as unwashed eggs of the same age.
2
Great people these Mennonites! They know how to do chickens. They have found the secret to chicken farming. They believe chickens were raised this way since the beginning of time, when Mother Earth was created - some 5,000 years ago..?
1
Pasture-raised eggs taste better.
I've been able to buy free-range eggs in regular supermarkets in Germany for years. In fact, keeping hens in cages is no longer even allowed in the EU, they must be kept in "cage-free" stalls at the very least.
They aren't particularly expensive, either. The price varies, but today I can buy a carton of 10 brown non-organic free-range eggs size M or L for about 2 EUR. Completely organic eggs are a step beyond free-range and typically cost 1 -2 EUR more per carton. The eggs are less "perfect" in shape, color, and shell consistency than people in the US are generally used to, but I don't find that it affects the flavor much. The eggs are not washed, so although they are aesthetically less pleasing, they stay fresh longer and don't need to be refrigerated in the store.
The definitions organic and free-range are strictly defined here. In order to use the label "free-range", the hens must have free access during the day to at least 4 square meters of outside pasture per hen, most of which should contain vegetation, not just dirt. I'm sure there are cheaters out there but they tend to get vilified in the press if caught.
They aren't particularly expensive, either. The price varies, but today I can buy a carton of 10 brown non-organic free-range eggs size M or L for about 2 EUR. Completely organic eggs are a step beyond free-range and typically cost 1 -2 EUR more per carton. The eggs are less "perfect" in shape, color, and shell consistency than people in the US are generally used to, but I don't find that it affects the flavor much. The eggs are not washed, so although they are aesthetically less pleasing, they stay fresh longer and don't need to be refrigerated in the store.
The definitions organic and free-range are strictly defined here. In order to use the label "free-range", the hens must have free access during the day to at least 4 square meters of outside pasture per hen, most of which should contain vegetation, not just dirt. I'm sure there are cheaters out there but they tend to get vilified in the press if caught.
4
No matter how well the hens are treated, eggs are still extremely unhealthy to eat - so much so that even our corrupt and well-lobbied government severely restricts what the egg industry can say about any health benefits. They can't say much of anything along those lines since the eggs are chock full of so much cholesterol. In the end the chickens get their revenge as our arteries harden starting in childhood.
Oh, gimme a break! Your ignorance is beyond mere opinion, it is flat wrong! Cholesterol has zero impact on heart disease, or haven't you heard the big egg scare of decades ago has been set aside? In fact, you NEED dietary cholesterol for proper brain and hormone development and maintenance.
Then there's the 80 something man who has been eating only eggs for several decades, 24-30 of them a day. He's in perfect health...........because eggs are one of the most complete and perfect foods.
I suggest you catch up to dietary science of at least 15 years ago before you spout ancient nonsense.
Then there's the 80 something man who has been eating only eggs for several decades, 24-30 of them a day. He's in perfect health...........because eggs are one of the most complete and perfect foods.
I suggest you catch up to dietary science of at least 15 years ago before you spout ancient nonsense.
5
I see some comments about pasture raised egg flavor. While some flavor attributes are certainly based on rations, we often observe shorter supply chain and inventory periods on pasture based eggs. So consumers are likely getting a flavor boost from freshness factors that might be distinct from how animals are raised/fed. "pastured" layers get outdoor access but generally are still on rather standard laying ration making up the majority of diet. Probably less than 15 % intake from grass/bugs etc...
Prospective small scale producers can reference this 2015 feasibility report from UVM Extension that explores management, finances and various business factors for 1,000 and 3,000 pastured laying hen enterprises.
"Scaling up Egg Production: Management, Markets, Regs and Finances"
http://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/files/2013/03/FBRR013-2015-Scaling-Up-Egg-Pr...
Prospective small scale producers can reference this 2015 feasibility report from UVM Extension that explores management, finances and various business factors for 1,000 and 3,000 pastured laying hen enterprises.
"Scaling up Egg Production: Management, Markets, Regs and Finances"
http://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/files/2013/03/FBRR013-2015-Scaling-Up-Egg-Pr...
About time.
Sprouts sells "free range" eggs which I thought were the same thing as "pastured"
Major grocers do not offer free range eggs, just "cage free" ones. Cage-free means the hens are still cooped up in overcrowded, filthy warehouses.
Otherwise, hens are fed entrails and other unbelievable fare.
Sprouts sells "free range" eggs which I thought were the same thing as "pastured"
Major grocers do not offer free range eggs, just "cage free" ones. Cage-free means the hens are still cooped up in overcrowded, filthy warehouses.
Otherwise, hens are fed entrails and other unbelievable fare.
I just saw the movie "Cowspiracy". I'm not a scientist so I don't know their authenticity, but the "facts" behind the movie are that 51% of greenhouse gasses are caused by animal agriculture - that includes meat, dairy and...eggs, pastured or not. If this fact is true I would consider it to be a game changer as far as climate change armegeddon is concerned. Drastically changing the eating habits of the entire world is no small task but easier in my opinion than foregoing cars, consumer goods, electricity etc. And more conservative than hoping technology will somehow outpace climate change. And much easier to deal with than sunken coastal cities, war, chaos etc.
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a0701e/a0701e00.pdf
https://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf
http://www.cowspiracy.com/infographic
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a0701e/a0701e00.pdf
https://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock%20and%20Climate%20Change.pdf
http://www.cowspiracy.com/infographic
2
And drastically changing the eating habits of the world away from meat and animal products would have enormous health benefits and a huge ripple effect throughout the food, drug and medical industries. Thus it'll be a long hard fight to overcome those lobbies and deep pockets. Imagine if the food industry adopted the motto: Do no harm.
2
Family members kept a flock of backyard hens and protecting the birds from racoons was a chore. It was heartbreaking to wake up, look through the window and see a hen ripped to shreds by a racoon. Thereafter we closed the hen house every night, whereas before the birds were free to roam whenever they felt like it. I've hated racoons ever since.
1
Destroy the Redwood forests so businesses can make more $ from animal agriculture?? The writer seems unbothered by this.
1
Actually our land is grasslands from former floodplain. The Smith River wraps around us just before it enters the Pacific Ocean and we are surrounded by redwood forest and hills on our coastal plain. Most importantly we have never destroyed a redwood tree and we have planted thousand of trees in our fenced off riparian areas.
18
"...on land where giant redwood trees once grew."
Operative word being ONCE. Redwood forests are protected. The family is not cutting them down to farm. Anyway, there are certainly many much more objectionable uses for land than an organic, free-range farm that produces high quality food and respects the Earth.
Operative word being ONCE. Redwood forests are protected. The family is not cutting them down to farm. Anyway, there are certainly many much more objectionable uses for land than an organic, free-range farm that produces high quality food and respects the Earth.
1
You are doing some good work. Wonder how you can justify separating baby calves from their mothers.
1
The world is facing a fight, capitalism which seeks to extract maximum profit for minimal cost. And, the dawning of an age where an increasing number of people are realizing all animals, including us are part of a living eco-system.
3
The glaring omission in this article is the fact that, as with dairy production (also female based), there's no use for the males in the egg industry. While a tiny percentage of male chicks are retained, the rest are destroyed (ground up) at the hatchery and used for dog food and fertilizer. With dairy, the male calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth and, if they even survive, are raised for meat, frequently veal. Same with goats. Also ignored is the fact that domesticated chickens, having lost their ability to fly, are defenseless against wild predators, and must be penned in some way to avoid slaughter. Once penning is involved, the question of how "free ranging" the chickens are immediately becomes relative.
"Humanely raised", with respect to meat, dairy, or eggs, is a feel-good marketing label for those who are at least somewhat sensitive to the cruelty and suffering inherent in livestock production, and wish to alleviate the guilt they feel without giving up eating animal products altogether. It generally appeals to an affluent demographic where the means are available to afford the less efficiently produced products from boutique farms such as the one highlighted here, and has the added cachet of "better taste". Unfortunately, it doesn't get around the "death issue".
There's no such thing as "humane slaughter". The only truly humane diet is an entirely plant-based diet.
"Humanely raised", with respect to meat, dairy, or eggs, is a feel-good marketing label for those who are at least somewhat sensitive to the cruelty and suffering inherent in livestock production, and wish to alleviate the guilt they feel without giving up eating animal products altogether. It generally appeals to an affluent demographic where the means are available to afford the less efficiently produced products from boutique farms such as the one highlighted here, and has the added cachet of "better taste". Unfortunately, it doesn't get around the "death issue".
There's no such thing as "humane slaughter". The only truly humane diet is an entirely plant-based diet.
8
Believe me - rhode island reds, barred rock, etc. fly just fine. Heritage turkey breeds are excellent fliers - they roost in trees goven a chance well away from most predators.
And anyone who's raised chickens knows that too many roosters will lead to deaths anyway. Roosters will literally kill each other if there's too much competition, so yes, we raise most of the males separately for food instead of letting that happen. Usually we will keep several for each flock of hens because they watch their surroundings for predators and give warning if they see anything suspicious. Dogs can even be trained to pay attention to the characteristic calls of danger and will come out to check if a coyote or bobcat is around, thus solving the predator issue. Yes, you will lose hens occasionally, but it's not a huge problem.
The process of nature is not clean and clear-cut. We are all part of a process where death is a constant factor. You can either accept it or try to deny it. I prefer to view it as a good thing that the cattle and chickens on our family farm live good lives before they are harvested. After all, they never would have lived at all had we not raised them, or maybe they would have been sent to a horrific factory farm. We all have to eat and animal products are a natural part of the human diet. Get over it.
The process of nature is not clean and clear-cut. We are all part of a process where death is a constant factor. You can either accept it or try to deny it. I prefer to view it as a good thing that the cattle and chickens on our family farm live good lives before they are harvested. After all, they never would have lived at all had we not raised them, or maybe they would have been sent to a horrific factory farm. We all have to eat and animal products are a natural part of the human diet. Get over it.
1
If killing animals and cooking them is what gave us our large brains, I find it hard to find such a diet wrong. Do some research. And, yes, there ARE more and less human ways of killing an animal, most which lead rather idyllic lives compared the their wild ancestors.
The best, most golden chicken eggs ever I had were from yard birds. My sister-in-law fed them scraps from the kitchen, the garden, anything that was left over. She also fed them the egg shells - but not before cooking them first. Chickens are voracious and will eat their own eggs, if they acquire a taste for it. Once the shells are cooked, however, they apparently don't connect what they're eating to what they're laying. I'm not sentimental about chickens. But I agree that simple, wholesome food is good, and factory farmed food is not.
10
My eggs come from a nearby farm where I know the family producing them. They are certified organic, soy free, grass fed, free range. Happy chickens doing what chickens do out in the field. They are the best eggs I've had since I was a kid on our family farm. Sure, I pay about 50 cents apiece but if I couldn't get these eggs I just wouldn't eat eggs anymore.
10
Whole foods sells cage free eggs that taste much better than the standard supermarket egg. They have a flavor, a darker yolk, and are produced locally. I would love to be able to afford the pasture eggs, but these are a step up and tasty. They are $ 0.18, which means you can feed your family cheaply and ethically.
1
Geet,
So glad that you are enjoying the cage free - a definite step in the right direction. Handsome Brook Farm sells under a private label at Whole Foods - Goldie's Eggs. The farms that produce these eggs uphold the same high standards as our other farms, are pasture raised, and are not all that much more expensive than cage-free. We are on a mission to become affordable for an average consumer. Hopefully we will be able to meet your budget soon!
Best,
Lindsey Babcock, Handsome Brook Farm
So glad that you are enjoying the cage free - a definite step in the right direction. Handsome Brook Farm sells under a private label at Whole Foods - Goldie's Eggs. The farms that produce these eggs uphold the same high standards as our other farms, are pasture raised, and are not all that much more expensive than cage-free. We are on a mission to become affordable for an average consumer. Hopefully we will be able to meet your budget soon!
Best,
Lindsey Babcock, Handsome Brook Farm
The photos of brown eggs remind me of how, when I was a kid and my folks placed me in summer bondage to friends who owned a farm, I'd collect and candle eggs in their coops. My orders were to toss the brown eggs to the dogs who guarded the coops. The owners couldn't sell brown eggs. There was no market for them.
(Of course, I jest about having been in servitude. I loved every minute of being on a farm. Still love it for the annual weeks I help my in-laws in OH with the harvest. Nothing clears the mind like manual labor.)
(Of course, I jest about having been in servitude. I loved every minute of being on a farm. Still love it for the annual weeks I help my in-laws in OH with the harvest. Nothing clears the mind like manual labor.)
5
Weird - our farm chickens laid mostly lt brown eggs. Different varieties of chickens lay different colored eggs - even pale turquoise or speckled. Then there are the occasional double yolked egg.
There's a lot of support here for a $1 egg, but I suspect that the comments to a NY Times news piece may be the ONLY place on the planet where such support might be found in any numbers, unless it's a Malibu jumbo-shrimp party thrown by Sean Penn and Charlize Theron.
The most basic pre-condition to a society's ability to rise above the subsistence level is its ability to affordably feed its people. Almost the entire planet including almost all of America tossed in would laugh itself silly at this absurd totem of the unchained, potted liberati.
The most basic pre-condition to a society's ability to rise above the subsistence level is its ability to affordably feed its people. Almost the entire planet including almost all of America tossed in would laugh itself silly at this absurd totem of the unchained, potted liberati.
2
You don't know what you are talking about, New Jerseyite. I live in a struggling logging town in the remote Olympic Peninsula. This is not a bastion of well paid liberals, unchained or not, but our farmers manage to sell their expensive free range eggs with no trouble at all. People here know a good thing when they taste it.
8
Kaleberg:
I was born in Olympia, raised in Tacoma and I know Port Angeles very well. So ... your free-range eggs are popular among all economic classes? Are they up to $1 an egg? (Average current national cost for 1 DOZEN regular large eggs: about $1.65). Maybe your dairy farmers produce just what's necessary to saturate a very small market.
I was born in Olympia, raised in Tacoma and I know Port Angeles very well. So ... your free-range eggs are popular among all economic classes? Are they up to $1 an egg? (Average current national cost for 1 DOZEN regular large eggs: about $1.65). Maybe your dairy farmers produce just what's necessary to saturate a very small market.
Taste the difference between an egg laid by a pasture raised chicken and a conventionally raised chicken and there is no way you will want to eat the conventional egg, or even organically fed caged chicken eggs again--all to the better for the birds that produce them for us, Taste the free range eggs in Turkey and Italy and you'll wonder why Americans can't enjoy similar quality eggs at home. It is not just the eggs. The pastured chicken itself has a richer flavor compared to the cardboard flavor of standard chicken.
6
I suspect that truly free-ranging birds, not the 'free-range' claim on packages, are much more economical to farmers in the long term as I have no doubt they live longer, have a longer egg-laying life, and get ill far less often than hens in densely-packed factory settings. It's a win-win for all. And as far as price, what other nutrient-rich protein packet costs only $0.50 per serving? Not many. It's still a bargain.
3
The easiest way to tell if an egg is from a free-range, grass fed hen is the hardness of the shell and the color of the yoke. The shell will not be easy to break, it will be easy to separate the yoke from the white because the yoke has to be poked before it will break, and the yolk will be bright orange. Sometimes in the winter when the hens may be fed more grain, the yoke will be merely a strong yellow. And the article completely neglects the difference in taste and nutrition. But there is wide variation in "real" free range and fake free range. Your local food coop or farm is the best source of the best eggs.
2
I will only eat eggs from chickens guaranteed free of neurotic behaviors by local psychotherapists. Generally, these eggs are quite expensive, but I can taste the difference, so it is worth it for me to pay $200 per egg.
7
All our hens know their names, and many will allow us to pick them up when they hear their name. Although they're free roaming, they rarely wander more than 200 feet from the barn. When they get too old to lay eggs we keep them for the job that's more important: eating ticks.
5
Longleveler: Had to chuckle reading your comment. My daughter raises chickens too, for the eggs, and it is a lovely life for the chickens who live their old age out in the pasture in the daytime, pecking away! Pretty nice retirement package for them.
The best eggs I ever ate were at the home of a relative in southern Spain. They had been gathered that morning. Fried in olive oil from the family's olive trees, the whites were circled with crispy edges and they nestled closely to the yolks, which stood up as only the freshest eggs can. Served with bread, fresh from the village oven, there was no finer breakfast!
Yes, the hens were free roam, as we did too, later that morning.
Yes, the hens were free roam, as we did too, later that morning.
7
They may be outside but I don't think 12.5 acres is adequate for 5000 birds. I'm picturing that while looking at more than that on my farm right now. Do the math. It would take a minimum of 4 weeks to regrow an area, plus the land they are currently on, equals 5 zones, equals about 20 square feet per bird, minus space for feed stations and nest boxes, which while it beats the heck out of a cage it isn't the wide open spaces the growers would like to project. I'd imagine the fields are well fertilized by the birds, which would be factored into the number of birds the optimal number of birds, as well. It's a well designed and seemingly cost effective business in which the birds should produce a better product.
Ryan,
Thank you for taking the time to consider the well-being of the birds! It is a top priority for us as well. At Handsome Brook Farm, the 12.5 acres allows for over 108 square feet per hen. The standards we project are, in fact, genuine. The birds are running around outside. I welcome you to look at not only our website but also our Facebook page to see candid pictures of what our farms ACTUALLY look like. No smoke and mirrors. Just chickens.
https://www.facebook.com/HandsomeBrookFarm/
www.handsomebrookfarm.com
Thank you for taking the time to consider the well-being of the birds! It is a top priority for us as well. At Handsome Brook Farm, the 12.5 acres allows for over 108 square feet per hen. The standards we project are, in fact, genuine. The birds are running around outside. I welcome you to look at not only our website but also our Facebook page to see candid pictures of what our farms ACTUALLY look like. No smoke and mirrors. Just chickens.
https://www.facebook.com/HandsomeBrookFarm/
www.handsomebrookfarm.com
Thank you Lindsey, I will. My figured were based on rotation and regrowth time for cattle, not chickens. Good luck, I like your methods and I'll give it a try, on a much smaller scale.
Pay more, eat less. We can all see the ill health that cheap food has created. We are not being "gouged" by the cost of humanely treating the animals that feed us -- rather, we benefit from taking only what we need for our sustenance.
Across the board our values are skewed by judging everything by how cheaply we can get it, risking the health of our bodies, minds, and cultural conscience as a result. Our concrete and asphalt "shopping centers" look cheap, our bodies are misshapen, our highway rest stops look like something out of a dystopian film where even the oranges are wrapped in plastic.
Across the board our values are skewed by judging everything by how cheaply we can get it, risking the health of our bodies, minds, and cultural conscience as a result. Our concrete and asphalt "shopping centers" look cheap, our bodies are misshapen, our highway rest stops look like something out of a dystopian film where even the oranges are wrapped in plastic.
6
I wonder how many of the liberals who commented on this story in regards to the "humanity" of the chickens or cows have a "Pro Choice" sticker on their Prius.
Mark - Probably about the same as the number of "conservatives" who have "no regulations" stickers on their pickups.
Don't cry for roosters. They are not needed for egg production and they keep the flock in fear because they are violent sexual predators. They will attack each other and have been known to knock over little kids and peck their faces bloody.
I have had access to eggs from small pastured flocks for most of my life. I will pay any amount to get those eggs because I know what it costs to produce them.
I have had access to eggs from small pastured flocks for most of my life. I will pay any amount to get those eggs because I know what it costs to produce them.
3
I see 'Red Hen Privilege' here. Where's the diversity?
3
Poor quality food = Poor quality Americans. Average Food = Average Americans. Healthy vibarant food = It is a simple answer really. Change the Culutre!
As a child I ate eggs every morning(two soft boiled). As an adult I do the same. The only difference now is that the eggs are local and free range and yes they are expensive at between $4 and 5.99 a dozen. I am (mostly) confident that this food is clean and healthy, free of chemical and antibiotic. Now when I look back at those egg breakfasts of my childhood, I have to wonder when the practice to use poor quality feed and antibiotics began? And how might I have I been poisoned by this? It is crime, in my opinion, that poor quality food be produced in the first place. Americans shuffling in sweat pants, eating fast food, sugary drinks and chips, have been allowed to loose their self-respect. America's waistline and chronic health problems can be fixed with eggs: reality available farm fresh eggs. Everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy.
As a child I ate eggs every morning(two soft boiled). As an adult I do the same. The only difference now is that the eggs are local and free range and yes they are expensive at between $4 and 5.99 a dozen. I am (mostly) confident that this food is clean and healthy, free of chemical and antibiotic. Now when I look back at those egg breakfasts of my childhood, I have to wonder when the practice to use poor quality feed and antibiotics began? And how might I have I been poisoned by this? It is crime, in my opinion, that poor quality food be produced in the first place. Americans shuffling in sweat pants, eating fast food, sugary drinks and chips, have been allowed to loose their self-respect. America's waistline and chronic health problems can be fixed with eggs: reality available farm fresh eggs. Everyone should have the opportunity to be healthy.
6
Baby chicks all come from the same breeder and get "sexed" at birth so the males can be separated from the females. They're of no value for egg production or meat, so they all meet the same fate: they're killed by grinding or gassing.
There's no way to sugar-coat it.
There's no way to sugar-coat it.
8
Of course male chicks are of value for meat: what do you think broilers are?
The killing and use of chicks for feed is a product of so-called high-yield agriculture, under which farmers have been bullied into specialization as the only efficient model. This is the thinking that brought us factory farms.
If consumers demand and are willing to pay for meat that is raised humanely, the work of sorting and raising male chicks as broilers will become cost-effective.
And BTW - pasture raising by definition excludes feeding chickens feed made from processed chicks.
The killing and use of chicks for feed is a product of so-called high-yield agriculture, under which farmers have been bullied into specialization as the only efficient model. This is the thinking that brought us factory farms.
If consumers demand and are willing to pay for meat that is raised humanely, the work of sorting and raising male chicks as broilers will become cost-effective.
And BTW - pasture raising by definition excludes feeding chickens feed made from processed chicks.
2
Since chickens grown for meat are killed at the tender age of 6 weeks it can hardly be called humane no matter what conditions the are as they are raised.
Thanks for the glimpse into that little world.
Whenever I have the choice I always opt for eggs from the most humane option available. I pay extra if necessary. It's the least I can do as a consumer in a capitalist economy.
I hear people complain about the price of organic produce and then turn around and waste money buying mega-packs of soda.
Whenever I have the choice I always opt for eggs from the most humane option available. I pay extra if necessary. It's the least I can do as a consumer in a capitalist economy.
I hear people complain about the price of organic produce and then turn around and waste money buying mega-packs of soda.
7
This is great, but if consumers are going for great taste as well as health, there is still a problem. I am sure these eggs are washed and then refrigerated and sold that way. The refrigeration greatly affects the taste (especially when served "over easy" or soft boiled). Most of Europe sells their eggs unrefrigerated in markets or just at the end of the aisle in the supermarket with any major health issues. These eggs are good for at least 2-3 weeks. The U.S. should allow producers and retails to sell unrefrigerated eggs to consumers who want to "take the risk" to taste what a farm-fresh egg really tastes like!
10
I'm all for making the lives of animals more humane. One of the major blights on this industry is what happens to the male chicks. They are ground up alive. This is now illegal in some countries, but not ours. How can such a barbaric thing be allowed to happen? This industry can never call itself humane as long as that practice continues.
14
Note to farmers--I would absolutely pay up to $1/per humanely produced egg. Eggs are extremely healthy and a meal in themselves. However, eggs, currently at .18-.25/per egg are too expensive for me. There is no way I would pay that price for the hen's suffering. The cost is too high, and as such, I currently only buy about 2 dozen eggs per year, and even those, whose origins are dubious, despite being labeled 'free range,' are purchased out of necessity. Truly humane food is all I can stomach. Thank you.
6
How about predators (other than us, of course)? My daughter has chickens and they routinely get eaten by wild animals. People who do this for a living (she does not) must have some sure-fire way of keeping foxes, coyotes,, weasels, raccoons, and skunks away from the flock. (Skunks are the worst; a skunk will kill all the chickens just for fun, but only eat one.) Chickens lead a dangerous life! Really good eggs, by the way.
8
I visited a small family-owned farm several months ago and they had a similar setup to what is described in the article although on a much smaller scale. They use electric fencing that is more like a mesh or traditional chicken wire but electrified to protect against predators. We use a "hot wire" electric fence (usually used for cows) to protect our garden against deer. Works great, not very expensive, and our dog clearly understands not to get near the "hot" wire.
3
The Alexandres say they lose about five chickens a night to predators.
3
Chuck - Our chickens are in the pasture all day and are locked in their house at night. We rarely lose a chicken to a predator - once a weasel got 8 of them -- apparently just for the sport of it --
Perhaps predators are fewer because we keep 2 miniature donkeys
with the flock.
Perhaps predators are fewer because we keep 2 miniature donkeys
with the flock.
1
Most people don't even know that most free range, naturally living, non-confined hens produce eggs with yolks that are golden orange - not the pale yellow of the caged chickens that are fed soy feed mixed with heaven knows what. Those yolks pack an amazing amount of nutrients compared to normal yellow yolked eggs. (from all the good stuff in the chickens natural diet on a pasture)
When buying fully pastured eggs, I find I cannot eat more than two eggs at a time because the yolks are so dense with nutrition. When I used to eat normal eggs, I could gobble down 2-4 at a time easily.
As a frequent traveler, I'm amazed when I go to Europe and find cloth fried egg toys that have golden orange instead of yellow. Cultural expectations of the egg are different since pastured eggs are still fairly easy to get in Europe - but that's changing for the worse as the factory hen operations are growing.
If you want to know more about true pastured eggs, google the farmer "Joel Salatin" and if you need these gems in NYC, the Union Square farmers market has some awesome pastured egg vendors. Some are even cheaper than Whole Foods.
When buying fully pastured eggs, I find I cannot eat more than two eggs at a time because the yolks are so dense with nutrition. When I used to eat normal eggs, I could gobble down 2-4 at a time easily.
As a frequent traveler, I'm amazed when I go to Europe and find cloth fried egg toys that have golden orange instead of yellow. Cultural expectations of the egg are different since pastured eggs are still fairly easy to get in Europe - but that's changing for the worse as the factory hen operations are growing.
If you want to know more about true pastured eggs, google the farmer "Joel Salatin" and if you need these gems in NYC, the Union Square farmers market has some awesome pastured egg vendors. Some are even cheaper than Whole Foods.
12
Depending on additives to feed, the color of an egg yoke can vary extensively from light yellow to dark orange. Common additives are extract of marigold flower and paprika, other determinants of coloration being corn vs. soy or rice feed, etc.. This has little to do with pasturing and more to do with cultural preferences, and the same is true with coloration of chicken flesh.
The quality of an egg has more to do with the height of the yolk and "tightness" and clarity of the white. A hen's ability to scratch in the yard for bugs and worms is an added benefit and will produce a tastier egg, but don't rely too much on the color of the yolk as that's easily manipulated.
The quality of an egg has more to do with the height of the yolk and "tightness" and clarity of the white. A hen's ability to scratch in the yard for bugs and worms is an added benefit and will produce a tastier egg, but don't rely too much on the color of the yolk as that's easily manipulated.
The article begs the question, why have neither the FDA or USDA defined reasonable standards for the consumer? If I had to hazard a guess, the factory farms that produce the overwhelming majority of eggs effectively control what the standards for labeling eggs. Most of my life, I have either raised or had access to eggs from "pastured" chickens rather than caged. The difference in taste and texture is real (and a double yoked egg is a treat). Sadly, most Americans don't have a chance to see the difference. I am sure we will see some comments that pastured eggs are too expensive, followed by the usual comment that we can't produce enough eggs from pastured chickens to fill the demand (mostly from apologists for caged factory eggs).
2
Why is it that no US egg, no matter how free the chicken, tastes as good as the eggs in Italy or Spain? why oh why?
2
Didn’t know cage free still meant penned up. Important info to me so thanks for that. Would love it if the NYT had a regular column on farming practices in the US, esp if focused on small farms. More awareness might help increase visibility and create sustainability in a really tough business.
9
It is wishful thinking on the border of delusional to believe that purchasing boutique farm products is going to somehow impact the overall affect of humans on this planet, or even appreciably reduce animal suffering.
Industrial farming created our luxurious economy that lets the well-to-do afford these types of relatively expensive products. I am not a rich person by U.S. standards, but can afford to splurge on good food. I seek out pastured eggs for their bright orange yokes and better flavor. However, I don't tell myself that this is a virtuous act, although I like the fact that I'm supporting at least a few chickens that must be relatively content.
The vast majority of citizens of our planet will continue to buy the cheapest food available, if only so they have enough money left over to purchase more environmentally damaging products- like giant flat screened TV's and the smartest phones the market has to offer.
All farming is environmentally damaging, but not as much as the industries that supply us with all our other consumer goodies. But the consumption of these products is what keeps the economy humming- and it all starts with cheap, industrial food. A nation of small farms is an impoverished one.
Industrial farming created our luxurious economy that lets the well-to-do afford these types of relatively expensive products. I am not a rich person by U.S. standards, but can afford to splurge on good food. I seek out pastured eggs for their bright orange yokes and better flavor. However, I don't tell myself that this is a virtuous act, although I like the fact that I'm supporting at least a few chickens that must be relatively content.
The vast majority of citizens of our planet will continue to buy the cheapest food available, if only so they have enough money left over to purchase more environmentally damaging products- like giant flat screened TV's and the smartest phones the market has to offer.
All farming is environmentally damaging, but not as much as the industries that supply us with all our other consumer goodies. But the consumption of these products is what keeps the economy humming- and it all starts with cheap, industrial food. A nation of small farms is an impoverished one.
3
"All farming is environmentally damaging"
This statement is so out of whack that it would be generous to call it "wrong". I would agree if it were amended to "all industrial farming is damaging". In fact, industrial farming (monoculture, heavy application of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, GMO crops), should not even be considered "farming" at all. It is more akin to mining--extracting resources as quickly as possible for the greatest possible profit. Like mining it always leaves behind a barren, non-productive environment.
On the other side of the coin there is "sustainable agriculture". In this model, not only is farming not environmentally damaging at all--a well-managed operation will:
not only maintain, but IMPROVE and build healthy soils
sequester carbon
produce food that is superior in nutrition and flavor
It also allows farmers/farmworkers to work safely, with dignity and integrity.
Is the food produced more expensive? Of course. The problem is, we think that producing CHEAP food is an admirable goal with no concern for it's taste and nutritive value, or for the destruction of topsoil and pollution of groundwater which ensues.
If production of high quality food and care for the land were prioritized and supported (as we now support the industrial production of corn syrup, cotton, sugar, soy), the cost of better food could be impacted.
To learn more.......Google or youTube search:
Geoff Lawton
Joel Salatin
Wendell Berry
Permaculture
This statement is so out of whack that it would be generous to call it "wrong". I would agree if it were amended to "all industrial farming is damaging". In fact, industrial farming (monoculture, heavy application of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, GMO crops), should not even be considered "farming" at all. It is more akin to mining--extracting resources as quickly as possible for the greatest possible profit. Like mining it always leaves behind a barren, non-productive environment.
On the other side of the coin there is "sustainable agriculture". In this model, not only is farming not environmentally damaging at all--a well-managed operation will:
not only maintain, but IMPROVE and build healthy soils
sequester carbon
produce food that is superior in nutrition and flavor
It also allows farmers/farmworkers to work safely, with dignity and integrity.
Is the food produced more expensive? Of course. The problem is, we think that producing CHEAP food is an admirable goal with no concern for it's taste and nutritive value, or for the destruction of topsoil and pollution of groundwater which ensues.
If production of high quality food and care for the land were prioritized and supported (as we now support the industrial production of corn syrup, cotton, sugar, soy), the cost of better food could be impacted.
To learn more.......Google or youTube search:
Geoff Lawton
Joel Salatin
Wendell Berry
Permaculture
4
I agree with you. But I have to add that the animal based food production to feed the world is a very poor model for the environment. It is also not sustainable to feed the growing population of the planet in addition to being an extremely unhealthy diet leading to increased healthcare costs. Large-scale agriculture will probably be the continued norm to feed the planet economically into the future;but will need to be environmentally friendly and therefore vegan.
Over here in Germany some organic chicken farmers are offering something truly innovative: Rent-a-Hen. For roughly $90, you get five tame chickens, a shed (you can choose the design), a fence as well as their feed and litter for the nests. We rented chickens for our senior citizens' home and they were a success; the people were delighted by the hens, had eggs of a quality most of us only vaguely remembered, besides seeing them run around outside, pecking and scratching.
That aside, I would rather pay more formy food and know it comes from free-range, naturally-fed birds and animals rather than from medicated, hormonally-treated creatures. One commenter has mentioned a great advantage: higher expense - less overindulgence. And - perhaps, no more of those disgraceful food fights (oh, we can do that, we buy the cheapest food) that Americans seem to love so much.
That aside, I would rather pay more formy food and know it comes from free-range, naturally-fed birds and animals rather than from medicated, hormonally-treated creatures. One commenter has mentioned a great advantage: higher expense - less overindulgence. And - perhaps, no more of those disgraceful food fights (oh, we can do that, we buy the cheapest food) that Americans seem to love so much.
4
Unless you are extremely poor, if you are buying any eggs other than cage-free/pastured ones at this point, shame on you for your cruelty and selfishness. If you can afford a cell phone or a TV, you can afford to do this kind act for some of our fellow living creatures.
10
Living in rural Maine, I am very fortunate to have several neighbors with chickens, all free range. When I go to pick up eggs the chickens greet me. The eggs are wonderful: the yolks are orange, the taste quite different from store bought eggs. I am considering getting my own small flock.
4
So, we're talking free range here. Just like we've been doing it forever.
2
My small flock of twenty hens were free range on eight acres. They were healthy and pretty. Their eggs were delicious . Only hazards are hawks and an occasional stray dog.
4
I buy Nellie's or Pete & Gerry eggs. Cost more, but I think it is worth it. People say that these eggs taste better, but I can't tell a difference. This is a case of voting with your wallet. I buy these free range eggs because I think it is the right thing to do.
4
Our business model calls for 100 layers on our small farm, all of the birds pastured. We have local customers lined up. This is how a revolution should start.
10
For those who can afford this type of food, great. For low income families that depend on SNAP for much of their food budget, a grocery cart with these eggs and similarly produced milk and meats, would be impossible. (There are over 46 million people in the US using SNAP.)
Bravo to the Alexandre family and their customers. But do not pretend these eggs are affordable to all.
Bravo to the Alexandre family and their customers. But do not pretend these eggs are affordable to all.
3
We'd pay 50 cents for eggs but certainly not everyone can. That gets to the issue of two standards of living. But the bottom line is that animals should suffer as little as possible in meeting the needs of people who eat them. So... I guess you balance wealth so everyone can eat eggs from happier birds.
5
I had free range hens and the eggs were great but hawks and predators took many birds.
1
These are LIVING conscious things we're talking about. And the way we treat our furry and feathered friends is a barometer of how civilized we are - or are not.
I'm glad it's getting better for them (and the NIH chimps as well), but, it's too bad it took so long. And there's still a long way to go.
Good news though. No doubt about it. And it's so obviously the right thing to do.
Go Chickens! (They actually look happier don't they?)
I'm glad it's getting better for them (and the NIH chimps as well), but, it's too bad it took so long. And there's still a long way to go.
Good news though. No doubt about it. And it's so obviously the right thing to do.
Go Chickens! (They actually look happier don't they?)
3
Whatever health claims may be made, the simple truth is these eggs taste and look better. And they are just like the eggs I have had from friends with back yard hens. Don't like the price? Eat less. You dont need eggs for breakfast every day anyway....Eyton Shalom, www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com
1
5 million eggs from 1500 hens?? That's 9 eggs per day per bird. Those would be some mighty busy chickens!
1
Nine flocks of roughly 3,500 birds each produce those eggs.
1
The farm therefore has 31,500 birds. Not exactly a small farm...in fact that makes it one of the 43 largest poultry operations in the state of California and places it in the top 1 percent of flock sizes (NASS Census of Agriculture, 2012).
Why was this not mentioned in the article? The farm is portrayed as a small, bucolic paradise. It almost seems as if the truth about the size of the operation detracts from this image, so the information was intentionally left out.
Why was this not mentioned in the article? The farm is portrayed as a small, bucolic paradise. It almost seems as if the truth about the size of the operation detracts from this image, so the information was intentionally left out.
I have always felt that if we are going to eat animals, or the products they produce, those animals should have a good life. I can't imagine the stress imposed on animals when they are mass produced for consumption. That continued stress has to effect their bodies and the quality of the meat, eggs, or whatever we take from them. It's just your basic karma. If we can't all be vegetarian, at least we can cut back on animal product consumption and purchase our food from sources that don't stress their animals to the breaking point. You are what you eat and justifiably so.
3
One of the nice things about living in Germany/EU is that it's easy to get real, wholesome, farm fresh food. Besides the farmer’s markets that are ubiquitous in most towns and cities. You can find organic/bio food even in your neighborhood large supermarkets. Eggs are one thing the Germans are rigorous about. Every egg is stamped with the production type which is certified and regulated by the European Union. So for eggs, there are 4 categories: 3, 2, 1, and 0 in order of less industrial farming. The great thing is that almost no-one buys 3-eggs anymore, which are caged, and it is almost always possible to buy 0-eggs, which are free range and uncaged (probably similar to the eggs in this article). Many people laugh at the over-regulation in the EU markets, for instance here is the regulation for 0-eggs:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Eisen_biologis... and perhaps the regulation about the correct taper and straightness of carrots does go a little over the top. But a fresh farm free range egg sure can’t be beat.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Eisen_biologis... and perhaps the regulation about the correct taper and straightness of carrots does go a little over the top. But a fresh farm free range egg sure can’t be beat.
5
I don't need to care about the welfare of animals. I never get to see them anyways. I don't need to care about sustainability of farming. It's just an abstract concept to me. But as a selfish individual I do care about the taste.
If you travel to Europe or Japan you'll see the difference between a fake and a real egg. Finally they are coming back to the USA.
If you travel to Europe or Japan you'll see the difference between a fake and a real egg. Finally they are coming back to the USA.
You might care about the welfare of animals if you realized just how bad the situation is...it's not a matter of merely unpleasant lives for these animals, but rather constant, needless torture. "Hens are usually kept eight or nine to a cage; long tiers of these cages are built one upon another in sheds that hold tens of thousands of birds, none of whom has enough room to raise a wing." "It is impossible, in such an atmosphere, to maintain health and cleanliness. The chickens’ excretions pile up, and the resulting ammonia fumes become so strong that they burn the birds’ eyes, and blindness results. Reports from observers say that birds with 'ammonia burn' rub their eyes with their wings and emit cries of pain." "Caged in this way, hens are unable to exercise, and constant egg production leaches calcium from their bones; these two factors cause severe osteoporosis, which leads to broken bones and great pain for the hens." "The hens live like this for about two years or less, until their bodies are exhausted from the stresses of constant laying and their egg production decreases." Source: advocacy.britannica.com
3
I kept a backyard flock of chickens for years, usually six, in a pen most of the day, but thrown greens from my organic garden and grass clippings. They were let out for hours late in the day and went back into the Poulet Hilton at dust.
After a while they went to the 'chicken soup man', an old Italian-American man who loved an old flavorful hen for the soup pot. I even slaughtered some myself. The eggs were delicious. Their yolks sat proud above the whites and contributed to omlettes, waffles, all the glorious things one can cooks with newly laid eggs.
The hens were happy, loving when I brought green tomato hornworms, clicking in protest and and thick as my thumb for them to feast on. Winters they kept warm with a light. I covered enough of the pen with boards and leaves so I could turn over the unfrozen dirt for them to dig through.
We all have our priorities and make our own choices as we see fit, but though a semi-vegarian, I did not then and will not now accept guilt now for my agricultural experiments. Give me the simpler life. Too many of the high-minded want to judge. I say, keep your judgments to yourself.
After a while they went to the 'chicken soup man', an old Italian-American man who loved an old flavorful hen for the soup pot. I even slaughtered some myself. The eggs were delicious. Their yolks sat proud above the whites and contributed to omlettes, waffles, all the glorious things one can cooks with newly laid eggs.
The hens were happy, loving when I brought green tomato hornworms, clicking in protest and and thick as my thumb for them to feast on. Winters they kept warm with a light. I covered enough of the pen with boards and leaves so I could turn over the unfrozen dirt for them to dig through.
We all have our priorities and make our own choices as we see fit, but though a semi-vegarian, I did not then and will not now accept guilt now for my agricultural experiments. Give me the simpler life. Too many of the high-minded want to judge. I say, keep your judgments to yourself.
5
this is simply the best news and taking in the economic issues - it seems to me that eating less and better is the real solution - both for our health and humane reasons - I guess another thought is we subsidize vast quantities of things and bail our banks, maybe we could subsidize farmers who choose to rear animals in a humane way. I think we also know cows who graze and are humanely killed, have more tender meat, certainly I note that view in every French village when you talk to people.
2
Those chickens are very grateful that it's Thanksgiving.
3
A number of cities are now allowing backyard flocks, typically to a maximum of 4 hens. We live in the country and our flock of four kept this family of three in fresh eggs. The hens roamed the yard, ate whatever they found, and the eggs were superb and nothing like the farmed eggs at the supermarket.
20
Humanely produced food such as pastured eggs, wild fish and non-confined pork or beef is expensive. At six to eight dollars a dozen, most people could not afford pastured eggs even if they could be produced in the billions.
The solution presented by $7.00 pork chops and triple-price milk is to eat less of better. For most of us, "going humane" also entails a permanent dietary change. Eating less of better for the animals' sake would also improve the country's waistline.
The solution presented by $7.00 pork chops and triple-price milk is to eat less of better. For most of us, "going humane" also entails a permanent dietary change. Eating less of better for the animals' sake would also improve the country's waistline.
64
Pastured eggs in the supermarkets around here are just over $4 a dozen, and organic milk is about 25% more than non-organic. Somebody is price-gouging in your area.
11
Right. Eating less, but eating higher-quality food, would make many of us healthier -- me included!
3
Prices are a bit higher where I live, but close to what you have. So, I agree. Chip is paying too much.
Baby male chicks still go into grinders or get buried alive. Those hens will still have the throats slit when we squeezed all the eggs when can out of them. Cut out the eggs. The egg industry isn't even allow to call them nutritious.
11
Not on my farm, Vegan. Not on my farm.
1
Your first ethical point aside, eggs are nutritious--end of story on that one.
And let the chicken go extinct....
Those eggs are exactly the kind that I've been using for >10, 12 years. So help me, they DO taste better look better and cook better. Mine happen to be gifted/bartered, but I would willingly pay if necessary. In my rural community perhaps one in 25 households still purchases mass market eggs and we are reducing their numbers. My grower has only a 18 or so hens, but they are are so happy and healthy that the hardly slow their production during the low light months. Their typical cycle is to lay for ~18 months, lose their heads and feathers before a visit to the stew pot and be replaced by six new ones, all on a six-month schedule. Never again the super market egg for me. As an added bonus, most of the eggs are simply huge, often surpassing typical duck eggs in average weight. After trying open pasture eggs once or twice, there is no going back. Even those who must pay quickly appreciate the value of large, fresh, field-fed eggs, from hens that copulate often enough to stay well satisfied. (I do not know that the latter component is essential, but it DOES make for happy laying hens; when the roosters join the girls, guess who gets the attention! Even the kitchen scrap bucket becomes second string. YOU figure it out...
11
They're all hens. Most of the male chicks are put to death in an automated grinder. Only a few roosters are allowed to live. Nothing that 'natural' or glorious about pastured eggs.
16
Ah, the latest high-margin yuppy scam, err, I mean trend. That's not to say the egg may not be a little better, but 5x to 9x better? No. And of course, as is the case with most "organic" labeled fruits & veggies, fat chance 100% of the eggs labeled pastured are actually pastured eggs.
6
Wow, a meal's worth of animal protein that is raised humanely and in a manner that's sustainable environmentally costs only $1-$1.50, and you're complaining? Truly pastured eggs actually taste 5-10x better than conventional eggs, and they're more nutritious. Well worth the price, I'd say.
37
Different priorities, perhaps, but a scam? I think not. If some consumers are willing to pay more to fund a better quality of life for the hens, and that's what is happening, then who exactly is being defrauded?
Dishonest labeling, on the other hand, would be a scam, and that's exactly why we need strong government regulation.
Dishonest labeling, on the other hand, would be a scam, and that's exactly why we need strong government regulation.
48
Price increase is not to reflect "better" but to cover the costs to the farmer of more labor and much more real estate required.
2
Rhode Island Reds....my grandparents raised these for eggs and to eat back in S. Indiana on their more or less self sufficient farm....Of course they had some roosters in their flock.....
10
We have two hens that are good layers and they have a great old time ranging in our large side yard under an apple and a persimmon tree. The eggs are truly a work of art, deep yellow yokes, wonderful taste. No chicken-industry scrubbing of the shells so no need for refrigeration if we eat the eggs within a few days, which we do. Many towns (even cities) allow civilians to have chickens (no roosters.) They have various rules and regs, some licenses. We lived previously in Newton, MA and the poultry guy (I think he was from the city) came out to make sure we had a decent coop and setup. Charged $25 for the license. We kept them in a potting shed we bought from Home Depot, with a light bulb for heat. They did fine. BTW - Some Costcos sell nice chicken coop kits for around $150. You can order on-line if yours doesn't have them.
21
I eat 12 egg omelettes, I am not sure I can afford these type of eggs.
Pastured Eggs "Too Expensive"!?
Can we afford a Smart Phone? Are we driving a 25mpg vehicle when we could be driving a 50mpger? Do we pay for cable TV rather than using free broadcast TV? Do we buy any bagged snacks (that all cost over $4/lb)? Starbucks (or even McDonalds special coffee)? Order any take-out food? Purchase any boxed cereals (typically at $4/lb)?
Simple observations reveal that we Americans are more than willing and able to afford many discretionary purchases. For many people, food is not on the list of the willing. For some people, purchasing any food item other than the lowest cost item makes them feel like suckers, regardless of the fact that this "food" was raised in a septic environment.
One would think that food - of all purchases - would require the highest degree of scrutiny. Yet most people know far more about their cell phone contract than they do with the manner in which their food was produced.
The old cliché needs an update: Complicit Ignorance... is Bliss.
Can we afford a Smart Phone? Are we driving a 25mpg vehicle when we could be driving a 50mpger? Do we pay for cable TV rather than using free broadcast TV? Do we buy any bagged snacks (that all cost over $4/lb)? Starbucks (or even McDonalds special coffee)? Order any take-out food? Purchase any boxed cereals (typically at $4/lb)?
Simple observations reveal that we Americans are more than willing and able to afford many discretionary purchases. For many people, food is not on the list of the willing. For some people, purchasing any food item other than the lowest cost item makes them feel like suckers, regardless of the fact that this "food" was raised in a septic environment.
One would think that food - of all purchases - would require the highest degree of scrutiny. Yet most people know far more about their cell phone contract than they do with the manner in which their food was produced.
The old cliché needs an update: Complicit Ignorance... is Bliss.
4
Our city just voted to allow urban chickens. Unfortunately, they have set the initial requirements such that I am thinking we will not take part - the area allowed is not "pasture" or "range" - less than 10 square ft. per allowed bird - more like factory chickens.
We once had outdoor hens running in the yard, the eggs were fantastic and they were happy hens - and they didn't bother the neighbors.
We once had outdoor hens running in the yard, the eggs were fantastic and they were happy hens - and they didn't bother the neighbors.
9
Milwaukee is strict as well, but not about the area per bird. Still, ten square feet is more than most standard commercial hens would ever get. If you have four hens, you can rotate the 40 square feet and they will be pretty happy. Besides, are the chicken police going to be coming around every other day measuring your “pasture”?
2
If free range eggs taste anything like freely grazed milk, I will gladly pay the difference. There is simply no comparison in taste. The milk has a more complex, richer, and sweeter taste, even in its zero percent incarnation, a result no doubt of the greater variety of grasses, weeds, and, yes, bugs that the cows choose to feed on. Grass fed milk, grass fed eggs, let the cows and chickens wander, then bring on the harvest. Yum.
26
It is the inherent tragedy of Creation that life must feed upon other life.
Even if I am a vegetarian, I am destroying and consuming other life for my own selfish needs at the expense of the other life form.
That said, if we must use other life forms - and we have no choice, nor do they - we can at least treat those life forms with some dignity while they live, and their death at our hands should be quick and without cruelty, if at all possible.
When I die and go to Heaven (a calculated bet) I will personally take this up with God Almighty, for this grim status quo is in need of revision. I am sure She will give it Her thoughtful consideration.
Even if I am a vegetarian, I am destroying and consuming other life for my own selfish needs at the expense of the other life form.
That said, if we must use other life forms - and we have no choice, nor do they - we can at least treat those life forms with some dignity while they live, and their death at our hands should be quick and without cruelty, if at all possible.
When I die and go to Heaven (a calculated bet) I will personally take this up with God Almighty, for this grim status quo is in need of revision. I am sure She will give it Her thoughtful consideration.
31
And yes, plants are sentient. Just looking at time lapse photogaphy should convince people. In addition they react to infestations by releasing specific toxins, communicate with other plants.
Of course they are slower in general than most animals, but they are sensitive to the environment and certainly act as if they want to live.
IMAO, pastured beef is the most ethical of foods there is a lot of food from only one life terminated and even the grass doesn't die, albeit being grazed is probably frustrating. However, if grassland is not grazed then the grassland is taken over by other plants, so grazing prolongs the life of the grasses.
Of course they are slower in general than most animals, but they are sensitive to the environment and certainly act as if they want to live.
IMAO, pastured beef is the most ethical of foods there is a lot of food from only one life terminated and even the grass doesn't die, albeit being grazed is probably frustrating. However, if grassland is not grazed then the grassland is taken over by other plants, so grazing prolongs the life of the grasses.
1
Selfish needs? What the heck is wrong with you?
1
It is no secret that the eggs from hens allowed to roam (and have a life) are superior tasting to the eggs of factory farmed birds. The U.S. food industry is profit driven, unfortunately, with only a small percent of farmers who are dedicated to raising nutritional food in an ethical way.
Kudos to the Alexandre family and the NYT for shining a light on them.
Factory farming must stop.
Kudos to the Alexandre family and the NYT for shining a light on them.
Factory farming must stop.
56
There's nothing like home grown fresh eggs! No mention of predators, but surely there are losses to hawks, raccoons, etc.
6
We have had laying hens for several years. When we first started we let them roam our fields. We lost many to dogs and coyotes. Now the hens are in a contained area that gives them enough room to walk about during the day. Ideally we would be able to move that area about our fields but that is not possible right now. As for the eggs tasting differently from ordinary supermarket eggs, I think the difference is small and can be attributed to the variety of chicken and the freshness of the eggs.
And there's also the fact that chickens who are truly pastured will also ingest pathogens from the droppings of wild birds. (This is something people who keep chickens understand; you don't pasture them near areas where wild birds regularly feed.)
True, on both counts. For several years we had a couple dozen hens that roosted in the barn at night, and ranged freely during the day, eating every insect in sight (and scratching up every blade of grass) on our small hobby farm. The eggs were wonderful, and we still get pastured eggs from a neighbor to whom we gave our last birds so we could travel. Before that, though, the flock was serially attacked by foxes, hawks, raccoons, and the dogs of another neighbor. We learned that managing livestock humanely is challenging, but rewarding. One should expect to pay a bit more for quality eggs, especially when it means giving the birds a decent existence.
Interesting that they neglect to mention what happens to the 50% of chicks of the egg-laying variety that are born male. Search "what happens to male chicks" and decide what you think about egg consumption then.
Also, interesting that they neglect to mention what happens to the "spent" hens who are too old to lay eggs too.
There are plenty of plantbased, vegan alternatives to eggs now, another quick search will show you that.
Also, interesting that they neglect to mention what happens to the "spent" hens who are too old to lay eggs too.
There are plenty of plantbased, vegan alternatives to eggs now, another quick search will show you that.
12
what happens to the "spent" hens who are too old to lay eggs too.
They vacation at the 'colonel's' place?
They vacation at the 'colonel's' place?
After seeing a video of male chick's being placed in a grinder, I stopped eating eggs (I had already stopped eating meat years prior).
1
OMG! Ever heard of the natural food chain?
1
Who needs cheap eggs? I think it is disgusting that hens are kept in cages their entire lives. Eggs are already so cheap, you could double or triple the price and it wouldn't matter too much. These poor animals need minimally humane treatment.
97
While I agree with you, our choice is a choice for those with sufficient income, not for a single mother who lives with her children in food insecurity trying to make it to the end of the month before the food money runs out.
2
A barbaric practice made slightly less barbaric. Quite an accomplishment. Slow clap...
7
So wonderful, pastured chickens. But what's with the calf enclosures? The inconsistency in the Alexandre's standards calls into question their values and motives. Please, people, all animals deserve beautiful care that allows them to live naturally. There is nothing good about veal production.
27
The calf enclosures are used for calves intended to be sold as veal.
It was nice to see the chickens wandering in the grass. But disconcerting to see the "calf enclosures" behind them.
35
How sausage is made. Not pretty.
Those are not calf enclosures you see, but the moveable hen houses where the chickens can roost and lay their eggs (at their leisure).
Many readers have expressed concern about the enclosures. The Alexandres said they use the enclosures to wean the calves and get them used to the out of doors, kind of like "hardening off" a tomato plant. Also, the calves have an easy time getting out of the enclosures -- I saw two out roaming around when I was there.
3
I have been buying locally pastured eggs from a number of local farmers for over 10 years now and will never buy anything else. We eat eggs every morning in this house; a great way to start the day.
12
I noticed the headline and at first read "pasteurized" instead of "pastured."
The photo of the Alexandre family and their verdant northern California coastal pasture full of chickens is enough to make anyone want to visit (Crescent City does have redwoods and surfing). It's far from the barren turkey fields that characterized eastern North Carolina in the 1970s, and far from the chicken factory one can see from Florida's Turnpike going from Orlando to Yeehaw Junction.
The photo of the Alexandre family and their verdant northern California coastal pasture full of chickens is enough to make anyone want to visit (Crescent City does have redwoods and surfing). It's far from the barren turkey fields that characterized eastern North Carolina in the 1970s, and far from the chicken factory one can see from Florida's Turnpike going from Orlando to Yeehaw Junction.
21
Once we had eggs from true pastured hens, we couldn't go back. We got our own little laying flock, which grew rapidly. At this time of year, our girls still range, but they love it when I do as I did tonight. They got a bunch of kale. They love cooked carrots too. And my harvest decorations--fancy pumpkins--will start rotating into their feed on Thanksgiving. The yolk color is gorgeous.
36
What do you do with your girls when they stop laying?
2
They probably put them in a stew. Or, if they, prefer, they let them retire in style. So what?
7
My girls are still laying at age eight (commercial hens are dumped at no more than two years old). I introduce a new hen only when one dies a natural death, although the origianal flock was staggered in age so I should always have one layer. I do not force them to lay in the winter by leaving a light on. They deserve a rest and to follow their natural cycle. I do without eggs for the two or three months they are not laying.
5
I *love* pastured eggs. I'm on a very limited budget but I make sure to get them, even if I can't eat eggs as often.
22
Chickens are not vegetarian. They require animal protein in their diet, ideally from insects and grubs that they scratch up outdoors. Although most people off the farm don't know it, chickens will also happily eat rodents and other birds if given the chance. When chickens are raised in confinement and fed vegetarian diets, they obtain their animal protein in a gruesome way, by pecking each other and eating the blood of their fellows. It's a horrible sight and, obviously, not great for either chickens or chicken farmers. It's not exactly appetizing for us consumers, either. I've gotten to the point that the very thought of eating a conventionally raised bird makes me sick.
70
They peck at each other because they are too closely confined. While I’m not in favor of the way commercial hens are fed, it does provide adequate protein.
2
Chickens will also very happy to eat other birds or any other meat they can get.
For years, I've bought eggs from a farm where I can watch the blissful chickens living the life of Riley, with sun, sky, grass, and a fresh supply of cow-dung every day. I don't allow industrial eggs in my house.
But here's an excellent question that I'll also supply the sad answer to: Why does the FDA not set a standard for the word "pastured" so that it actually means something? Because the FDA long ago became a fully-owned subsidiary of the American Food Industry.
But here's an excellent question that I'll also supply the sad answer to: Why does the FDA not set a standard for the word "pastured" so that it actually means something? Because the FDA long ago became a fully-owned subsidiary of the American Food Industry.
130
There is no cheaper, quicker, or easier way you can enrich your diet with protein, improve life on the planet, save animals from barbaric cruelty than buying pastured eggs. Local ones are even better, but do yourself and a chicken a favor, buy happy chicken eggs.
And the taste is gorgeous. Once you're used to the best, you'll never go back. Why would you? Save a couple bucks? For what? To make a chicken suffer and have miserable product? Not worth it.
And the taste is gorgeous. Once you're used to the best, you'll never go back. Why would you? Save a couple bucks? For what? To make a chicken suffer and have miserable product? Not worth it.
98
I had only five chickens. They were completely free to roam around, which they did. They gave the most incredible eggs--you could see the vitality bursting out of those wonderful orange egg yolks when I cracked them open. These were healthy, happy birds--and they were. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep them, and they moved on to another home.
13
As a kid we raised our chickens and gathered eggs. They do taste better.
19
A vast improvement!
Now, the egg industry needs to develop a way of hatching just females so that the awful practice of macerating male chicks as soon as they hatch is abolished. We can do this with human eggs....so let's use that technology with chickens.
Also, the humane slaughtering of the hens when they are past their egg laying days needs to be another consideration.
And what about those calf enclosures? What an existence for a mammal to be separated from its mother soon after birth and stored in those enclosures.
The US Department of Agriculture has an obligation to ensure that livestock are treated humanely.....legislators should be receiving recommendations for the proper care and slaughter of our farm animals but this department is too heavily influenced by agribusiness. Shameful! This is why I only buy cheeses from Europe and meats from local farms where it is easy to check on good livestock practices.
Now, the egg industry needs to develop a way of hatching just females so that the awful practice of macerating male chicks as soon as they hatch is abolished. We can do this with human eggs....so let's use that technology with chickens.
Also, the humane slaughtering of the hens when they are past their egg laying days needs to be another consideration.
And what about those calf enclosures? What an existence for a mammal to be separated from its mother soon after birth and stored in those enclosures.
The US Department of Agriculture has an obligation to ensure that livestock are treated humanely.....legislators should be receiving recommendations for the proper care and slaughter of our farm animals but this department is too heavily influenced by agribusiness. Shameful! This is why I only buy cheeses from Europe and meats from local farms where it is easy to check on good livestock practices.
45
In order to stop the killing of hens the minute their laying drops off, you have to be willing to pay more or raise your own (or find a neighbor who does). It’s the scale of the commercial productions and the need to turn a profit that results in this cruelty. Even the farms in the article raise tens of thousands of birds.
2
Glad someone else does the same as I do re-cheeses. I am vegetarian and find the local pastured eggs I buy just wonderful. Although I live on "rock," the Hill Country" in Texas, I grow vegetables in pots on the deck. Also buy organics locally. Ay 87, almost 88 years of age I am very healthy , do Zumba, exercise and walk almost every day.
I have been buying free range and EKO (ecological) eggs while living in Sweden. I don't know what they do, or what kind of hens they have here in Sweden, but I did not know that eggs could taste so good. My husband just bought a 6 pack of eggs from a smaller grocery that have to be THE BEST eggs I have ever eaten. I would certainly be willing to pay more in the States, for eggs of similar quality.
32
When chickens roam free and eat what they can find, they have a more varied diet. I’ve never been impressed with “organic” eggs that brag about the chickens being 100% vegetarian. Chickens like to peck for bugs, which I think improves the flavor of the eggs. My backyard hen’s eggs are much coveted by friends and neighbors for their lovely taste. I give them minimal “feed” and lots of greens which makes the yolks a beautiful deep orange. not sure if that adds to the flavor.
3
Good for you. I want to have an egg from a chicken that I know has a decent life -- that gets to spend its life being a bird rather than being viewed as an egg factory in a box. I'm very happy to spend more for that.
145
My goddaughter raises her own chickens, pastured, and then kills them herself too - but 'with love' as she says. Now that is REALLY proving yourself. Try that everyone. Raising them with love and killiing them with love too. I ask her how she does it. Wringing their necks quickly she says. This is a blue-eyed blond sweetheart, as sweet as they come.
6
And that hen's brother was ground-up soon after it hatched, since the males are of no value to the egg or poultry industry. Happy eating.
Then be concerned with not only the eggs you consume at home, but also the eggs you eat in restaurants and, most importantly, the eggs and egg/chicken by-products that are included in the food you purchase. Domestic use is a very minor part of total egg production, most of which is determined by the economics of production rather than consideration of the hen. Very sad, but also very true.
Cruelty-free pastured hen eggs generally look and taste better than cruelty-filled eggs, as well.
40
They're not cruelty-free. Research what happens to the 50% of birds of the egg-laying variety that are born male. It's very cruel. Research what happens to these hens when they are still young but their egg-laying slows down. That's very cruel too.
Cruelty-free means not using eggs.
Cruelty-free means not using eggs.
25
Or keeping three hens in your back yard, where you let them live out their natural lives. They require little care on this scale and give so much in return, the least of which is their eggs.
3