Not All Free Range Eggs Are Created Equal!

18 Jun 2015 5 Comments

by Nikki in JoyFULL Tags: , , , , , , ,

I would have never guessed that Free Range eggs have the power to make a Facebook post go viral!

But it sure did…….

For many years I only bought Home Brand eggs as they are so cheap compared to Free Range eggs and being budget conscious this will often rule my shopping decisions.

Guilt got the better of me a while ago and I decided chickens living in horrid cages was not acceptable, so I changed to buying Free Range.

Choice magazine did some snooping into the world of Free Range egg production and released a chart that made me sad.

Big business was once again controlling egg production in a not so nice way!

I very rarely share anything negative on my Facebook page, as my blog and page is for inspiring not bashing.

BUT I was upset that my Free Range eggs that I have been buying are not coming from happy chooks, grazing on acres of land having the time of their lives.

One week after the original post was placed on my page the stats are as follows:-

242,944 people reached, 638 post likes, 288 comments and almost 100 new followers!

Keeping in mind my page only had 1600+ followers.

People are totally peeved at this eggy mess.

This is the chart I shared..

Free range eggs are not all they are cracked up to be

This chart clearly shows that all the big players in the supermarket game are not exactly sourcing their eggs from happy chickens. All three have a stock density of approximately 10,000 per hectare.

They might not live in cages, but they sure are not living the high life either.

The true parameter for Free Range eggs should not exceed 1500 per hectare. Something is terribly wrong here, but as usual they get away with it.

I was so glad to see that Sunny Queen is doing the right thing as they are so readily available in just about every supermarket.

I will not be buying Woolworths Free Range Eggs ever again.

It would be great if their was a farmers market close to me that I could visit every weekend and stock up on goodness, but time is an issue so I rely on supermarkets for my groceries.

I could also become a vegan (which one of the comments suggested), but I like eggs and like baking with them too.

Sometimes it cannot be about the money, but doing the right thing for animals on this planet who’s sole purpose is to provide food on our tables.

AND don’t get me started on farmers that have to bleach their eggs to get them on supermarket shelves or the de-beaking that goes on at some farms.

One lovely reader popped this pic on my page.

happy chickens

Maybe I should just get a pet chook or two and have my own Free Range eggs.

What eggs do you buy?

Sharing for #FYBF at With Some Grace.com