Free Range or Value eggs?

Lucie_2

I only buy organic eggs these days. It is the only thing I insist on being organic.
Better still is to get them from my FiL who in turn gets them from the next door allotment to his (legitimately - not stolen!).
My nephew would be sooooooo jealous of all of you with chickens; he is desperate for some of his own, but my meanie sister won't let him have any!

Eliza252

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!

Curry_Queen

raeble wrote:

I don't agree with PETA at all but they have a point about how free are free ranged eggs.

That's a very good point, and I was chatting with someone last week who works on a local chicken farm (for meat not egg production) and although the hens are classed as "free range" they are actually living in a barn with access to just a small outdoor yard, which relatively few of them ever see!

Anyone who knows anything about chickens will know they adopt a hierarchy whereby those at the lower end of the pecking order (pun intended ) will be "bullied" if they venture outside (not that there's room for them all to go out together anyway) so will stay in the barn out of the way

beadysam

Hello all
Until very recently (the past few weeks) I have always bought the cheapest eggs. Hubby is a bit egg intolerant and with high cholesterol etc I don't use many except occasionally in baking. Recently my sister came to see me an was whittering on about blue eggs from her supermarket. I didn't know they existed! I searched the internet and read loads of forums and now I know I have to get chickens of my own - they are lovely! I would NEVER buy battery hen eggs or produce again. Whilst I do not in any way shape or form support organisations such as PETA and their very aggressive and inflamatory methods, I do believe in good care of animals and I am appauled at needless cruelty.
The garden is being mad ready and I should be getting my chickens over the next few weeks - several of which will be ex-battery hens that are deemed to be "at the end of their useful life". Well, they will be useful to ME!

Please look at this website if you have an interest in chicken welfare or google for images of battery chickens...

http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/

SAM xx

leonie_2

Sam I read your post with interest as keeping a couple of chickens is something I would love to do.

I havent done much research but have been put off by the fact that we live in an area that we know has foxes (we back onto a golf course and nature reserve) I'd hate to keep an animal if it was going to be frightened every night :-(

I adore the thought of having my own fresh eggs and feeding them on our left overs, of which we have many! But is it reasonable to think that the children (13 and 16 years) would be able to treat them as pets? They are pestering me for a rabbit at the moment and im wondering wether I could get chickens and they could 'pet' them like rabbits?

Or am I just crazy!?!?

Debt_Free_Chick

You shut them up in their little house (Ark/shed) each night. Try Google for "keeping chickens" or the River Cottage website or HERE for a smallholder's diary.

Tracey_Smith

So much has already been said on this issue and the viewpoints are very interesting. However, there is still too much 'mysytery' cloaked around the 'best' choice of eggs for our consumption.

My feelings on it are set in concrete. Organic and free, roaming, running around kinda range are the only ones for me.

They are without chemicals, growth hormone, anti-biotics, colourant, fish derivatives and too many other things to mention, all of which pass through to our bodies and those of our children.

They are outstanding in taste and health benefits for us and our wonderful growing children and while folks still support the battery industry, inadvertantly perhaps, there will continue to be a choice presented to us in the shops.

However, I am delighted to tell you the awareness levels ARE changing!

People want to know more about the sources of some of their food and are prepared to pay a little more to ensure the quality is good and the welfare of the animal has been a priority.

Last year, I liberated 10 ex-battery hens. They were a year old and 60 pence a piece.

At a year old, they go into a short lul of laying, but they soon kick back into lay and onyl slope off when the weather turns cold. However, they will continue to give you great eggs for many years. The facts about how easy they are to keep have been covered here and I endorse them. I have about 35 chickens, ducks and guinea fowl and they are such endearing creatures, intelligent and a joy to observe and be around. The kids love them too.

If you would like to know the truth about battery hens and their living and dying conditions, I urge you to read this thread I posted on the River Cottage site. I have two photos in the post, showing clearly their unbelievable condition (and let me tell you, these were the ones I COULD post - there were others that would bring you to instant tears). Further down in the thread, I was asked to post more recent pictures of them - you will not believe your eyes....they are the absolute picture of health. The discussion also talks about despatching them too and the importantly related issue of 'cheap supermarket chicken', which will allow you to make a more informed choice, if you want to read it. If not, just view the pictures.

Here is the link River Cottage Discussion

Also, for another incredibly powerful explanation of why were are offered 'cheap' eggs, I urge everyone to view this short, very poignant animation. I first saw it on Jamie Oliver's site. This remains the most moving thing I have ever seen on the subject. It is not horrific, so don't worry there, but it will give you the facts, so be prepared. When it gets to the end, you will see it has an 'International' link which will give you further info for the UK, if you are ready to seek it.

Here is the link to view The Meatrix

Finally, if you are interested in liberating a few ex-battery hens for yourself, please visit the site of an amazing lady called Jane Howorth. She has been on television many times explaining the plight of these dear creatures and is pulling together a national network of rescue co-ordinators and centers where people can pick the birds up and give them a wonderful life.

Here is the link to visit The Battery Hen Welfare Trust

If you do nothing else, go to her site and find out the simple facts about free-range V barn and arm yourself with the knowledge. to make an educated choice.

If you want to make a difference, you have to dig around for information and this is a time consuming chore. I hope one day the rules will change, the information will be clearly presented and the options for the consumer will be laid out naked so they can all know the real price of cheap eggs.

Thanks for reading my post - it is something I am very passionate about and I hope it moves you towards wanting to find out more.

beadysam

Hello Leonie
Have a look at this site:

https://www.omlet.co.uk

This is the easiest and funkiest way of keeping chickens! It's not to everyones taste or suitable for all pockets as its a pricey solution, but these arks are wonderful for city gardens and said to be fox proof!

Get yourself over to the forums at: http://www.practicalpoultry.co.uk/forum/
where they are really friendly and helpful. As for kids and chickens - I don't think you have anything to worry about there. If you look around on the internet there are loads of piccys of todlers with chickens and several sites with kids 10+ breeding chickens. So I'd say....GO FOR IT!!! :j

good luck and keep us informed.
SAM xx

leonie_2

Thank you Sam and Tracey for your very helpful information.

As the children are older, im sure they will be able to help with the chickens and even learn a lot as well!!

This is something im really hoping to be able to do in the near future. I dont have a lot of land but im sure I can give a comfortable home to a couple of birds. Hubby is very handy with wood so I doubt it being a problem for him to build something cosy. He is just put off by the foxes, we had a couple of big pheasants that were nesting in our garden and we got up one morning to the site of lots of feathers scattered around the lawn :-(

Curry_Queen

leonie wrote:

He is just put off by the foxes, we had a couple of big pheasants that were nesting in our garden and we got up one morning to the site of lots of feathers scattered around the lawn :-(

As long as you remember to lock them up tight every night ... they usually put themselves to bed around dusk ... then you shouldn't have a problem with foxes. When I kept mine we had a field adjoining the bottom of the garden where I know a couple of foxes lived but we never lost a chicken to them. We did however lose a couple of rabbits, but this was due to our own stupidity in forgetting to secure their cages one night

It's very rare that a fox these days, especially in urban areas, will purposely try to get through secure fencing/caging as they are more opportunistic predators.