Let's talk eggs..

jpscloud

Hmmm I do regard animal feed "proteins" with some suspicion (but to put my views in perspective, I feed my cat on cat biscuits).

The BSE problem was caused by over-enthusiastic use of proteins to feed herbivores (in horror speak, ground up sheep were fed to cows). Still are, I think, but not the BSE carrying bits any more.

Yes chickens are omnivores and would likely get to snarf a bit of meat on occasion in the wild but the competition for meat in the wild is so intense that it would be a small part of their diet. Proteins would likely come from insects and inverts in the main, I think.

As far as domesticated chickens go, you're right badger, people fed them anything and everything and quite right too, people used to do the same with pigs when they raised them in their backyards.

However, times have a-changed because of intensive farming and the risk of disease, and anyhow who's to say that sunday roast scraps are better protein than a garden snail?

If I kept chickens, which I don't - would love to but worried about time constraints - I would feed a vegetarian diet and let the burgers loose to do their t-rex impersonation on the slugs, snails and inverts in my garden. Preferably the snails. If anyone feels their chickens are lacking protein, please send them over.

Penny-Pincher!!

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I fail to understand why people think eggs are expensive or feel they have to limit the number they eat in their diet. They are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals and low in saturated fats costing as little as 16p each. You'd struggle to find a comparable source of protein for less money

I suppose logically thinking about it, you're totally accurate. I think its just a shock as they're so expensive compared to how much they used to be.

We eat a lot of kidney beans which are good protein sources, but your absolutely correct. I suppose even a whole box of 6 is only £1.

emmad5689

Haven't had chance to read all this post but thought I would give you my opinion, my husband works on an egg farm and I get trays of eggs for people at work (free range) I am told how fantastic they are and everyone raves about how good they are so apparently there is a difference. Their chickens have their large coops but they can also wander outside as and when they want to during the day and have a large enclosure so they are still kept enclosed to a certain extent and it goes on the amount of acres of land per bird. Caged birds live in a box with their heads sticking out and a belt running behind them for the eggs so free range are tret a million times better.

~Chameleon~

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

I suppose logically thinking about it, you're totally accurate. I think its just a shock as they're so expensive compared to how much they used to be.

We eat a lot of kidney beans which are good protein sources, but your absolutely correct. I suppose even a whole box of 6 is only £1.

But you would need to eat approx 400g of kidney beans to equal the protein content of an egg

bornintoit

A._Badger wrote: »

And maybe you shouldn't make assumptions. As a chicken keeper I am quite well aware of the regulations, thank you. The point I was making is that chickens are omnivores and require a proper mix of protein sources in their diet. Whatever DEFRA's regulations may say, chickens have been fed on meat products ever since they were domesticated and continue to be so around the word.

Feeding chicken a vegetarian diet is an affectation that has nothing to do with the chicken and a lot to do with the faddy obsessions of the worried well.

The problem is though that giving leftovers to chickens is not standard practice in the UK anymore. To speak of 'since they were domesticated' doesn't take into account what changes have happened over the many decades. I don't think it is a faddy obsession at all to worry about what is going into chicken feed considering the way food has changed and has been tampered with over the years. More and more people are becoming concerned with how many chemicals, artificial preservatives and additives are in the food chain and are asking questions and animal feed is a big part of this. For example I think people have every right to question if "butter" spreads based on vegetable oils are unhealthy for us or if bacon with nitrates added are dangerous for us. Whether they are or not people do have the right to ask the questions. Noone here is arguing that chickens are not omnivores but rather the question as to why give chickens processed meat in feed when they are very capable of eating worms etc and getting their protein in a natural way. As I said in a previous post on here a non-GM vegetarian feed and worms, grubs etc is better than processed meat produce by far in my opinion.

Oh and I also do not understand why this thread was moved, it seemed to fit well where it was.

terra_ferma

A._Badger wrote: »

Incidentally, why was this thread moved? Wouldn't it have been polite for someone to have told us why? AFAICS it belonged perfectly where it was.

didn't even realise they had
I too hate when they move a thread without giving a reason, particularly when the change doesn't make any sense to me. This thread is not about keeping hens, is about buying grocery items :huh:

debtdawg

We have a farm nearby where the kids can feed the chooks and we can buy the eggs. They are so much tastier than any shop eggs plus the kids can see where the eggs come from and have even helped the farmer collect them. The chickens have loads of space to roam around, a big hen house and seem really well looked after

Penny-Pincher!!

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

But you would need to eat approx 400g of kidney beans to equal the protein content of an egg

I thought 1 egg was about 7grams of protein but half a tin of kidney beans was about 8grams? Maybe Im going a bit mad, but Im sure you don't have to eat that amount of kidney beans for the same protein value of an egg.

sophlowe45

Just took a can of kidney beans from the cupboard to have a look, on the back it says 5.8g of protein per 80g serving, the can is 240g net drained weight so a can is 17.4g of protein according to the label.

skipsmum

NewKittenHelp wrote: »

Alleged inability to pay does not remove one's responsibility for cruelty.

Exactly.
I can understand people who are struggling to pay for food shopping may buy value eggs. However, i often see people who's trolleys are also full of branded/luxury products - in my opinion these people choose to be ignorant of the issues and are therefore guilty of cruelty.