Do you believe in animal welfare?

Question

It’s fair to say most people don’t like animal cruelty-

And if you asked them, most shoppers would probably say they prefer barn-laid or free range eggs.

Yet, sales of cage eggs continue to far outweigh sales of more humane varieties (79% vs. 21%).

Why is this so?

Is's because shoppers don’t realise that those innocent looking ‘cage eggs’,with packaging that may even show illustrations of happy hens in green fields,

actually come from intensive battery cage systems?

Cage eggs are cheaper than the kinder alternatives? – after all, they are much cheaper and more efficient to produce,

which is why the cage system is so popular with producers.

But before you reach for those bargain cage eggs on the supermarket shelf, think about who really pays for your purchase.

Start by imagining a space smaller in size than an A4 sheet of paper.

Now imagine trying to fit a whole adult chicken inside that space, and keeping her there for her entire life.

Don’t worry, you won’t need to make room for a perch or nest – a hen in a battery cage wouldn’t have these either.

Then, imagine that same hen is in a wire cage with four other hens, and surrounded by thousands of other hens just like her.

That’s how many hens are living in this situation in Australia right now; over 13.2 million hens producing more than 203 million dozen eggs each year.

How important is it really to save a few cents on a carton of eggs?

These questions can only be answered by you – please, choose wisely.

How can you help?

Don’t buy cage eggs!If more humanely produced eggs aren’t available in your local store, ask the store manager to start stocking the alternatives.

Lobby your local eateries to use certified free range.

Answer 1

I do not buy barn eggs because I am aware that the conditions in which they are grown spreads diease and upsets the natural food cycle.  The eggs produced are higher in saturated fat and lower in nutrients because the chickens are less healthy.  It is inhumane to treat chickens this way, they have feelings and thoughts like humans.  Why are cows and sheep attacked by diseases such as foot and mouth and blue tongue ? It is because they are living in confined spaces and are not free to exercise and live hapily.  If business people and entrepeneurs in the farming industry do not start thinking carefully about the consequences of this cruelty they will not have any farm animals left because they will all die out from diseases.  Mass farming is wrong ! We do not need to eat meat to be healthy because we can et enough Iron from plants.  All of the cancers and diseases we have nowadays are directly caused by meat and the consumption of processed foods.  The healthiest people in thw world eat diets mainly consisting of rice.  In the UK people are more reluctant to buy barn eggs because awareness has been raised about the conditions they are grown in.

Answer 2

I believe there are a lot of people who want to support the animal welfare and buy cage-free eggs but, not all people can afford that change.  Caged eggs are cheaper so that's why the percentage of the purchases for caged eggs will be higher.  There has been a debate here of local California Egg companies of switching to cage-free eggs but, they said it is impossible because they will lose profit because cage free eggs costs more to produce than caged eggs.

For me, I try to buy cage free eggs whenever I go to the store.    Because I am for animal welfare.

Answer 3

i love to eat eggs ,its best when they are scrambled

Answer 4

they all taste like eggs to me.

Answer 5

Animal welfare?  Where would they cash the checks?

Answer 6

Have you ever thought about the logistics in collecting free range eggs vs caged hen eggs?  If you had to run around looking for eggs everyday on an acre of land, your efficiency in egg gathers would drive the cost of eggs up.

What guarantees would have that the eggs are fresh?  That you didn't miss one from a day or two before?  With caged hens you gather eggs each day, no chance of missing one in a cage and gathering can be automated so there is less labor involved.  

Lastly, the chickens that lay eggs are bred to lay eggs, they are called layers.  Given the safety issue of providing fresh eggs vs a higher risk getting an egg that may have been sitting in a field for several day--I'd rather buy the eggs from the caged system, sorry.