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These days when a person is perusing the egg section at the grocery store there are so many choices. There are regular eggs, simply labeled grade A. Those are the worst. These birds are kept in the tightest quarters possible and fed the lowest quality food. There are Organic eggs. That sounds pretty good right? We live in a time when people are becoming more concerned about animal welfare. An organic egg seems like a better option to many, surely a hen that lays an organic egg had a better life? These birds are usually raised in conditions referred to as “Free Range”. Sounds great! In reality, these birds will never leave their coop because they want to stay close to food and water. What about “Cage Free”? That brings pictures to mind of happy chickens roaming picturesque barnyards. But again, no, this is not what it sounds like. These birds are still kept in a confinement house. Still are never aloud outside. They are just not in individual cages. This bird will likely never see the light of day. There are so many birds that they cannot move around and often suffocate each other. “Vegetarian Fed”? I am at a loss as to why this even seems like a good option to anyone. Chickens are supposed to eat insects and worms. These vegetarian feeds are full of genetically modified corn and soy, two crops that are loaded with pesticides. None of these options, which are all of the options at most stores at the current time in history, are actually good options. Not for the health of the chicken or you. Some might be slightly better than others , but frankly, I am not comfortable feeding any of these options to my children.
So what, exactly, is a pastured egg? It is an egg from a hen that was free to roam on pasture. These hens are fed minimal feed and they eat forage from the pasture and lots of bugs. They have access to fresh air and sunlight. They will say “From Pastured Hens” or something similar on the labeling. These hens are frequently kept in large mobile coops and moved to fresh grass one or twice a day. Why are they kept cooped at all? Why can’t they just be completely free? Predators. Most of the chickens would be eaten by birds of prey, raccoons, foxes, possums or any other number of chicken-eaters relatively quickly if not kept protected. They are kept at such numbers that they are free to move. So, why do I only feed my family pastured eggs?
Pastured Eggs Are Healthier For Me
Hens kept on pasture are free to consume their natural diet of various plants and insects and are naturally higher in Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin B-12. They are also higher in Omega 3’s. You can back this information up and get more in depth by reviewing this information available at the American Pastured Poultry Producers Website. In our modern world of industrialized agriculture that has led to food that has a lower nutrient density, eating pastured eggs is one way to significantly increase your nutrition intake.
Keeping Hens On Pasture Is Better For The Hen
Birds raised this way and allowed to express their natural Chicken-ness (a term I borrowed from one of the pioneers in pastured poultry production, Joel Salatin, read a great book by him here) and animals being aloud to live a healthy natural life is important to me. Concern for the way in which beef, pork, and chicken are produced in this country (and in other countries for our consumption), and a mistrust in the food available at the grocery store was part of the reason my family decided to homestead. Just because an animal is being raised for food does not mean that it still shouldn’t be treated humanely and with dignity.
The Eggs Taste Better
Yes. The eggs really do taste better. Try it for yourself. A side by side comparison will make a believer out of anyone.
Better For Cooking And Baking
One of my children’s favorite ways to consume eggs is what they call “Dippy Eggs”, which is basically a sunny side up egg on just about anything. Toast, zoodles, (that is not a typo, zoodles are noodles made out of zucchini, I make them with this veggie spiralizer which I highly recommend ) in soup, on a bed of greens, on a hamburger, the list goes on…Anyway, the egg has to be dippy, or in my children eyes, it is ruined. They will still eat it, but, a little sadly. And as a mom I prefer for the meals I make to be eaten happily. I have a lot less breakage with the pastured eggs than with standard grocery store eggs. I also have much more success separating the whites from the yolk without making a big old mess out if when I am required by a recipe to do this.
Better For The Planet
Yes, it seems like most things that are healthier for me, when blown up to a larger scale are better for the planet as a whole as well. But lets talk about specifically why. In recent years we have heard much about climate change and carbon footprints and the like. What does this have to do with pastured animals? Grass is one of the best ways to sequester carbon dioxide. When animals are grazed properly on a piece of land it increases that grounds ability to keep more CO2 out of the atmosphere. When chickens are kept in confinement houses, on the other hand, the off gassing from these sad places puts not only more carbon dioxide into the air but also releases methane and ammonia. Also when high numbers of birds are kept in small spaces the waste they produce seeps into the ground and creates water pollution in nearby areas. There is also more disease that breaks out in operations of this kind due to the low level of health among these chickens. Because these chickens are so sick, farmers use massive amounts of antibiotics routinely to keep chickens alive. This has led to antibiotic resistance in animals and people. Check out this book to learn more about antibiotic use in the poultry industry.
Where Can People Find Pastured Eggs?
Pastured eggs can be difficult to find at a regular grocery store, even though there are usually no less than six other kinds. Try your local farmers market, (do not assume the eggs are pastured, ask the farmer directly) or stores like Whole Foods or a local health food store. Raising food on a small scale is the best way to go for the future of agriculture so really try to find a local option, I have even found local pastured eggs on Craigslist before we began raising our own. If all else fails, try these pastured eggs available on Amazon. Also, if your favorite retailer doesn’t carry pastured eggs, ask them too. Create a demand for higher quality food. We deserve it! And the chickens deserve a higher quality of life.
Happy Egg Shopping!
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