Free Range or Value eggs?

leonie_2

Thanks Curry_Queen thats good to know. Our garden has a nature reserve and a golf course behind it so foxes are common and I dont think the kids could handle losing pet chicks. Im reading up on the suggested websites..... and i've just thrown away all the eggs I had in the fridge, i'd bought them from a farm shop assuming they were free range and they are no.3 on that list so after seeing the state of the poor chicks, I simply cant eat the eggs now.

I wont keep chicks unless I can do it properly of course. There is a lot of good info over on the river cottage website so i've plenty of learning material. I remember Hugh fearnly whittingstall having a high rise coop that looked interesting!

Pal

The same animal welfare rules that apply to battery hens also apply to non-free range meat animals - pork and chicken especially.

It seems a bit hypocritical to me to insist on free range eggs but then eat anything other than free range meat. If you are happy to buy value chicken or even just "normal" supermarket chicken then surely you should be OK buying battery hen eggs?

Loadsabob

As a vegetarian who eats eggs, I have only every bought free range. However, I don't necessarily trust the supermarkets, and I know that their free range eggs can have half a dozen in the box, all from different suppliers with varying standards of animal welfare.

For my part, I found that in the past, I could taste fish in eggs, probably due to the fishmeal fed to some chickens. Not nice, as a veggie.

These days I only use free range, organic, local eggs from my local independent healthfood shop. Though you may not be able to tell the difference between supermarket free range and supermarket value, I assure you you CAN tell the difference with very good eggs. There's nothing like them, the yolks are gorgeously yellow and creamy, with no added colouring to the feed, and they taste perfectly of egg. The farm is nearby, and if I had a car I'd buy them direct, but I don't, so this is the nearest thing.

I wouldn't give up the quality and peace of mind (and supporting local supplier and shop), at £1.35 for six, just to save a little. I'd rather go without eggs.

Just one perspective...

Curry_Queen

You definitely can taste and see the difference between eggs, as those who raise their own chickens will no doubt testify, and once you've sampled home grown eggs you'll never want to go back to supermarket eggs

leonie_2

I agree with you and wouldnt mind paying a little extra for good quality eggs that are truly free range but I dont know where to buy them from. I wish there was someone local advertising.

I didnt realise that all the eggs in a box could be from different places, however I have led a sheltered life where these things are concerned.

Loadsabob

leonie wrote:

I agree with you and wouldnt mind paying a little extra for good quality eggs that are truly free range but I dont know where to buy them from. I wish there was someone local advertising.

Leonie,

Do you have a local independent healthfood shop? If so, you would probably find that they either stock local free-range eggs, or could point you in the right direction. They may have a noticeboard that you could pop a note on to help you find somewhere local and easy to buy from...I hope so, it's worth it!

leonie_2

Hi Loadsabob

Yes there is an independant one in town. I've never seen eggs, but as you say there may be a way to ask for information.

It will keep me going until I get my own chickens!

PS I live in NW Leicestershire if any of you owners with eggs for sale are watching

Loadsabob

Good luck Leonie, I'd love chickens too, one day...at the moment all the space in my little garden is taken up with growing veg!...it's a start on my road to self-sufficiency!

Grumpysally

AlisonW wrote:

Having spent 5 minutes engrossed in this thread, finally realised why I got this link when I put 'Bedding Plants' in the search engine. Really tempted to get some chickens. Will have to work on other half.
(Maybe I could persuade my son to do it as part of his Duke of Edinbro' award,)
Still haven't found those cheap bedding plants tho' : )

Crikey one minute Im looking for plants the next I'm a potential egg producer / chicken liberator. What next?

amateur_saver

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but I really notice the difference when you buy 'cheap' (no pun intended) eggs, as they taste fishy to me, which may sound really daft, but once you have had 'proper' eggs then they really aren't the same.

(I hope I am making sense ?!)