Free Range or Value eggs?

HOLsale

Eliza252 wrote:

I am a bit obsessive about buying my eggs from 'Happy chickens' as it were - totally agree 'Free Range' is a bit misleading. Have taken to buying these eggs that are called Woodland Free Range - they are sponsored by the British woodlands and forests commission ...eeer.. or something like that. anyway they are free range to the extreme!

from what i understand chickens were originally woodland animals so that makes sense!

we knew someone that let his chickens all around his land (set deep back off the road through a huge forest) and they were some of the happiest chickens i've ever seen... well, when i could see them

we had a neighbour once that raised special breeds of geese, chickens and other foul. we used to just pop down to the end of his driveway, leave our 60p in his honesty box and take our half dozen eggs away (leaving an empty box for him of course) they were the tastiest i've ever had, they weren't always chicken eggs though but they were nice and i could see with my own eyes how they were raised

JCL

The Woodland thing may be a bit gimmicky (I have a vision of a couple of trees beside a field) but I bought them in Sainsbury's the other day and they taste good.

Here's the website with more info:
http://www.woodlandeggs.co.uk

xlt_hunter

JCL wrote:

The Woodland thing may be a bit gimmicky (I have a vision of a couple of trees beside a field) but I bought them in Sainsbury's the other day and they taste good.

Here's the website with more info:
http://www.woodlandeggs.co.uk

Wrong - its "lots" of 7-8' high trees in a field - trust me

bootman

I keep 2 hens in my garden. They produce the best eggs ever! They have run of my garden all day every day.

I made a cake last week for my friend. It was just a sponge cake. She asked what I had done to it to make it so bright yellow. Nothing just my eggs.

JCL

xlt_hunter wrote:

Wrong - its "lots" of 7-8' high trees in a field - trust me

I did use the word may - glad to hear that is definitely the case. They should put some pics on their website.

xlt_hunter

Not a problem - did hear on the radio on the way home - its not posh to buy Organic now

What I can't understand the big fuss over organic (not eggs) is that after the war most things was organic without e numbers etc..... surely its a marketing hype?

I was given some quails eggs from work once and my they are nice with a salad when they are boiled!

Back to topic - to me vaule or FR eggs is no bother to me, okay the poor birds are in a cage, but they are treated, fed and watered well - they must live a boring life though

But must understand that EU/UK ruling means that cage farms will be out of production within the next 5-6 years.

Ted_Hutchinson

xlt_hunter wrote:

What I can't understand the big fuss over organic (not eggs) is that after the war most things was organic without e numbers etc..... surely its a marketing hype?!!

Not really, after the war we didn't have Supermarkets and we bought the veg that was available locally. We put up with veg that hadn't been sprayed because all veg was like it.
It's only since Supermakets started refusing to stock any veg which didn't look 100% immaculate that farmers were forced, if they wished to sell their products in bulk, to spray the living daylights out of every tiny bug or fungus.

Farmers don't want to use the chemicals, they are obliged to do so because only product conforming to the Supermarket contract will be accepted.

If you grow your own fruit and veg you will eat it along with the pock marks and odd insect damage but given the choice of perfect looking stuff and stuff which clearly hasn't been sprayed at all most people will buy the pesticide products. They will even pay for out of season products flown in from Abroad which don't have the health and safety standards used on our farms.

If we only bought seasonal locally produced food direct from organic farmers we would all consume more omega3's and be healthier.

chrislee765

I have heard of people being conned by butchers, when they think they are buying free range eggs, they're infact getting battery hens.
Im not sure if butchers eggs will have the lion stamped on them (depends on how 'local' the supplier is i guess) but if they do and they have the egg code then check it to see if its freerange or not.

Understand the egg codes:

1UK12345

Farming Method:
0 = Organic
1 = Free Range
2 = Barn
3 = Cage
Country of origin.
Farm ID.

I've read about woodland eggs, sainsburys are a lead partner in this i believe. The hens feel naturally secure with the trees, rather than being in an open field.
I myself keep chickens (got 4 ) so know exactly how spoilt the hens that laid them were!

xlt_hunter

To be honest Ted I rather have local foods that haven't been chemically treated as it might stop this rash I get this time of the year on my arms

As with the egg codes - if the flock is not salmonella vac - then they can not display the Lion on the eggs (so buyers beware!)

0UkXXXXX = Organic
1UKXXXXX = Free Range
2UKXXXXX = Barn
3UKXXXXX = Cage

Next time in Lidls or Aldi - check the eggs as they are printed as 2DEXXXXX etc....

When I get a bigger garden I will have chickens myself, but to be honest I see enough feathers and eggs every day to put in a trance!

Penny-Pincher!!

Hey

I buy the cheapie eggs from Lidls which are barn eggs I did buy some free range eggs from sainsburys yesterday reduced from £1.49 for 6 to 30p a box.

PP
xx