Cage or Free Range Eggs?

[Richard]

Quite simple really.

When you go to the shops for groceries, do you purchase the cheaper eggs (cage eggs) knowing where they are from, or do you purchase the more expensive free range variety because it's the "humane" thing to do? Which do you purchase and why, also why not the other option?

Myself, I end up getting the free range ones as my fiance will not get cage eggs because she's opposed to their conditions the chickens are kept in. Only reason I would buy cage eggs is that they are cheaper and I don't have a lot of money to be spending on unneccesary luxuries. If I had more money, I would.

 

[Loveless]

Free range but only because they're better quality. I'm all for better treatment of animals but if the law say cage eggs are fine then I don't care enough to argue otherwise.

 

[Nitafrong]

In answer to the question- whenever I buy eggs it tends to be Free Range but similar to what Loveless said- this is more becuase of the superior taste though it is one of those things that makes you feel better when you buy them- thinking that these chickens had a happy life of some kind.

But when you think about it really and consider the question as a whole- if you really did feel concern for the chickens condition shouldn't you have some issues with the entire idea of breeding animals simply to sate our hunger? Does it matter if their conditions are slightly better when they are still detained to a relativly small area and have their eggs routinely taken away from them?

This isn't really a subject I can go on about becuase its not something I know too much about but in my mind this debate- which is of course that of any of the varying degree's of vegetarianism comes down to two points. One is whether we believe the animals are intelligent enough to feel, understand or be affected by this kind of activity. The other of course is that we are fairly reliant on this state of affairs remaining the same to live the way we do- and to follow Darwinism- life is about survival of the fittest.

I sorta fall in between both sides of this debate- I still carry animal rights views from my youth- but on the other hand I like having a balanced diet. To an extent I am who free range eggs are produced for

 

[The Big Gunnzbowski]

In answer to the question- whenever I buy eggs it tends to be Free Range but similar to what Loveless said- this is more becuase of the superior taste though it is one of those things that makes you feel better when you buy them- thinking that these chickens had a happy life of some kind.

I sorta fall in between both sides of this debate- I still carry animal rights views from my youth- but on the other hand I like having a balanced diet. To an extent I am who free range eggs are produced for

Ummm... A caged chicken has about 60-70 Square inches of moving space, whereas a "free range chicken" has about 140-150 square inches of moving space... Hardly something worth praising when you realize that caged chickens are indoors and free range chickens are outside with no protection from the elements. You're essentially paying more money for the EXACT same thing. Marketing ploys abound, they're getting that extra dollar or more from you... Also, there has been no discernible evidence found between nutrients/taste when comparing the two... Just thought I'd point that out. But if you can taste it, more power to ya...

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I've had both and honestly I can't taste the difference. I'm all for animal rights (have mentioned that on a few threads) but I just don't see much difference in an indoor chicken and an outdoor chicken. Chicken still tastes like chicken, and eggs still taste like every other egg.

The conditions of said animal does make me pause though, but only slightly. I'm sure cows and pigs are manufactured the same way as "free range" or "caged"- either way the animal will be slaughtered for food.

I usually buy caged because it's cheaper and I'm a stingy buyer.

 

[Nitafrong]

[QUOTE="The Living Legend" Johnny Gunnz;2054685]Ummm... A caged chicken has about 60-70 Square inches of moving space, whereas a "free range chicken" has about 140-150 square inches of moving space... Hardly something worth praising when you realize that caged chickens are indoors and free range chickens are outside with no protection from the elements. You're essentially paying more money for the EXACT same thing. Marketing ploys abound, they're getting that extra dollar or more from you... Also, there has been no discernible evidence found between nutrients/taste when comparing the two... Just thought I'd point that out. But if you can taste it, more power to ya... [/QUOTE]

I think you will find that your underlined text is contradicted by what you said above it in bold. While the range of space changes dependant from country to country- those in favour of free range eggs claim that its the fact that they are outside in all elements is more kin to real life and as the birds feel more relaxed here they lay better eggs. You point out that no discernable difference has been found between the two so maybe it is all a placebo that our minds give us. I don't really know apart from my own experience which prefers free range eggs

Your information on the space that the chickens get is probably only suitable for the United States- farms in Ireland tend to be a little old fashioned if you will- all the hen runs I have seen are pretty large. It could be that its all that space per bird but when all added together its fairly large.

 

[Luther_Hull]

The cheapest ones, quite frankly, as a student I can't waste money on making chickens happy. I'll never meet said chicken, so I couldn't care less whether it's happy or not, I just need to look after number one.

Don't like eggs though, so it's a moot point really.

 

[The Big Gunnzbowski]

I think you will find that your underlined text is contradicted by what you said above it in bold. While the range of space changes dependant from country to country- those in favour of free range eggs claim that its the fact that they are outside in all elements is more kin to real life and as the birds feel more relaxed here they lay better eggs. You point out that no discernable difference has been found between the two so maybe it is all a placebo that our minds give us. I don't really know apart from my own experience which prefers free range eggs

Your information on the space that the chickens get is probably only suitable for the United States- farms in Ireland tend to be a little old fashioned if you will- all the hen runs I have seen are pretty large. It could be that its all that space per bird but when all added together its fairly large.

Well, since we weren't comparing countries' regulations and such, I went with what they do here in the US. Free Range Chickens here are caged with only slightly more space than Caged Chickens, so really, they aren't Free Range in my opinion. There was no contradiction in my point, I just think I may have said the first thing when I should have said the second thing first. Here, you're essentially buying the same thing, because as I said, they're both caged, just in different environments. Just like here in Arizona, if you're in Jail in Maricopa county, you live in a tent city outside. You're still a prisoner, you just live outside.

 

[RockFan89]

First off, when were Chickens ever a free range animal? They have been domesticated for so long I am pretty sure there is no benefit to the chicken of having so much space to move about.

Second, if all farmers had to make sure each Chicken had that much space to move, there would be far less chickens in the market place, causing the price of chicken to go up. If the price of chicken goes up, then the poor will suffer. (The poor in the U.S. already have it tough as seeing the only food they can afford is junk food). If I had too choose between the poor being able to eat a decent meal or a chicken getting a few extra feet to move about, I'll choose the poor.

 

[Loveless]

I've had both and honestly I can't taste the difference. I'm all for animal rights (have mentioned that on a few threads) but I just don't see much difference in an indoor chicken and an outdoor chicken. Chicken still tastes like chicken, and eggs still taste like every other egg.

Not so much with the eggs but there is a clear difference in the quality of the meat. I'm a trainee chef but when I'm at home we've occasionally ended up with caged chicken and I've refused to use it because it is of such poor quality that it doesn't behave how it should.
By the way I spent some time up in Yorkshire years ago on a farm. You really need to try fresh farm eggs, you'd be amazed at how different they taste when they're legitimately fresh. I've never found that kind of quality in any shop.

 

[Alex]

The cheapest ones,

Same here, sorry to sound selfish but I'm more concerned about myself and having to manage my money than I am on the well being of a chicken. I've had both sets of eggs and there's not much difference to me, also they come from the same place so does it really make that much of a difference.

 

[LigerBomb]

Quite simple really.

When you go to the shops for groceries, do you purchase the cheaper eggs (cage eggs) knowing where they are from, or do you purchase the more expensive free range variety because it's the "humane" thing to do? Which do you purchase and why, also why not the other option?

Myself, I end up getting the free range ones as my fiance will not get cage eggs because she's opposed to their conditions the chickens are kept in. Only reason I would buy cage eggs is that they are cheaper and I don't have a lot of money to be spending on unneccesary luxuries. If I had more money, I would.

Organic always, farm fresh if/when possible. Better for me in the here and now for the numerous healthy benefits, better for the animals in the there and then due to a more natural and humane existence. BTW, Food i.e. the sustenance with which you support and maintain your life with, is in my opinion, the only necessary luxury.

 

[FromTheSouth]

I couldn't care less about animal rights. In my opinion, they are animals, and it is OK to treat them as such. We didn't ascend to the top of the food chain by worrying about how tight the chain was attached to our food's leg.

The eggs taste the same, and that's all that matters when I make my purchase.