Are you really buying free range eggs?

Penelope_Penguin

MrsAnnie wrote: »

Should the eggs have the UK stamp on each one?

I don't think so - when my hens are off-lay, I buy mine from a smallholder's gate. The cost of his investing in a stamping machine would be prohibitive.

We have an existing thread - I'll merge this one to that so that you can see what the codes should be, if eggs are stamped

Penny. x

IsoChick

I have hens and ducks at home, and sell our surplus eggs to people at work...

We don't wash or stamp the eggs, and use recycled egg boxes (e.g. from tesco, asda, morrisons etc)

If someone is selling eggs in this way, or from a gate etc, they often aren't stamped (or washed in my case!)

I often call my eggs Happy Eggs - my chickens and ducks aren't totally free range - they live in a 100sqm fox-proof pen with a roof on

Although they are fed on organic food, I can't call them organic, as our land hasn't been certified organic, and the birds we have weren't from organic eggs. However, the eggs still taste better than anything you can buy in a supermarket!

davetrousers

I found this which explains the numbering link. But the bit we're interested in is:

What does the code printed on eggs mean?

Whether you buy cage, barn, free range or organic, a code will be printed on your egg. The first number refers to the farming method;

0 = organic,

1 = free range,

2 = barn,

3 = cage.

This is followed by the country of origin and then the farm identification which is a specific code denoting the actual farm where your eggs were produced.

MrsAnnie

Thanks for the replies Penelope Penguin and Isochick.

The eggs I brought certainly look free range- inside and out . I was just wondering, since I obviously paid a premium for them. £2.50 for 18 eggs. Which I didn't think was too bad for freerange - would have been alot dearer in Mr Ts.

OrkneyStar

My Coop bought FR eggs (£2.99 for 12) have 1 stamped on, so are free range as the box says .
I think that is a reasonable price for 12 eggs. Has one for lunch, as did DH, poached with toast, and was yummy.
Our garden would be no use for hens .

anguk

davetrousers wrote: »

I found this which explains the numbering link. But the bit we're interested in is:

What does the code printed on eggs mean?

Whether you buy cage, barn, free range or organic, a code will be printed on your egg. The first number refers to the farming method;

0 = organic,

1 = free range,

2 = barn,

3 = cage.

This is followed by the country of origin and then the farm identification which is a specific code denoting the actual farm where your eggs were produced.

If you bought organic free range eggs would they be stamped with 0 or 1? And also is it possible to have organic barn or caged eggs or would organic automatically mean free range? I find it all a bit confusing.

I normally buy my eggs from a little farm I trust where I can see the chickens and the eggs don't have any stamp on them but the hens are off lay at the moment and the foxes have had all the ducks. :mad:

thriftlady_2

anguk wrote: »

And also is it possible to have organic barn or caged eggs or would organic automatically mean free range? I find it all a bit confusing.

I normally buy my eggs from a little farm I trust where I can see the chickens and the eggs don't have any stamp on them but the hens are off lay at the moment and the foxes have had all the ducks. :mad:

Organic eggs are all free-range;)

nuttywoman

I buy my eggs from a farmer who visits our market once a week and get 1 dozen large for £2 .

wigglebeena

Someone gave me an organic egg and I fried it, and I've been spoilt for all other eggs now - fantastic. Apparently (I'm told), free-range is the minimum standard for welfare for organic products, so they should qualify for that as well. They taste so good, you can totally taste the difference. Haven't had an egg like that in years.

davetrousers

anguk wrote: »

If you bought organic free range eggs would they be stamped with 0 or 1? And also is it possible to have organic barn or caged eggs or would organic automatically mean free range?

No Organic means it will be free range. Have a read of this, from the same website.

Near the bottom you will see:

"Hens producing organic eggs are always free range. In addition, hens must be fed an organically produced diet and ranged on organic land."