How do Free Range and Organic eggs differ?

Question

UK

Answer 1

Organic means NO chemicals or hormones...

Free range means different things to different people and in different places.. mostly just that their feet can be on the ground - not on wire bars.. so in some places this can mean a small pen - as long as its on the ground..

I have chickens for pets/ and egg laying.. they are what I consider "free range.. AND organic"

Answer 2

Free range refers to the fact that the chicken is able to roam 'free' in outdoor areas, obviously within a restricted area on a farm.  Organic refers to the food that the chicken is fed - food that chickens producing organic eggs are fed has been grown without the use of pesticides/chemicals/etc.

Answer 3

I agree with leemy.

Free range is  to me an indication of humane treatment.

And cage-free does not necessarily mean free range.

Answer 4

I'm a small farmer on a permaculture farm in the U.S.A.  I can only tell you about laws here in the U.S., not what they might be in the U.K.  Hopefully another permaculturist from the U.K. is going to answer this question also.

In the U.S.A., organic eggs do NOT mean free range.

In the U.S.A., free range does not mean organic.

In the U.S.A., you can have free range chickens, and also feed them grains which are not organic.  That means their eggs would not qualify as organic, but only free range.

In the U.S.A., you can raise chickens in tiny, serriously overcrowded cages, in a completely enclosed chicken barn, but feed them organic feed, and the eggs would qualify as organic, but not free range.

If you really want the most humanely raised eggs, buy them from a small farmer, who's chicken flock you can see.

When I have chickens again, mine will be free range.  They will live in an area that has such an abundance of natural food, they will get 95-100% of their food all by themselves.  However my eggs will not be "organic," because I will not pay the outrageously high prices for organic grains to feed to my chickens.  So the 5% of grains I feed them will not be organic, yet the entire rest of their diet will be.  Quiet frankly, eggs like produced like that are what you want.  They will be bursting with vitamins, and minerals.  The fats in the eggs will actually be healthy for you.  Best of all, the chickens will be living healthy, happy and natural lives.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Answer 5

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

Organic eggs are produced in the UK according to criteria set by the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS) – which sets basic standards for organic production in the UK, in line with EU legislation.

Answer 6

In order for things to be Organic, I understand that they must meet the criteria set out by the Organic Certifier.  You would have to check the Certification requirements to see what the minimum conditions are.  I think.