How to Buy Organic Eggs from Humanely Treated Chickens

eggs

Lets face it, factory farm “battery caged” egg-laying chickens are not humanely treated. They are kept in small cages their entire life - about the size of a 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper. They have their beaks clipped so that they do not peck at themselves or each other in close confinement. They can be deliberately starved to increase egg production which is called forced molting. They are denied their natural behaviors, like spreading their wings, the act of nesting, the act of perching and taking natural dust baths. Cage confinement increases the risk of salmonella.

Endorsing this practice impacts our humanitarianism - our respect for other life forms.
I personally do not want to eat meat or eggs from animals that were mistreated.


For more information, see the Humane Society website articles: Egg Recall , Cage Confinement of Laying Hens Increases Salmonella Risk.

For great visual information visit the Animal Visuals website for these articles- Battery Cages Increase Salmonella Risk and Harm Chickens, and The Virtual Battery Cage

How to find Eggs from “Happy” Chickens that were treated humanely?

1) "At a local farm": The best way to purchase your eggs is from a local farm where you can view how they treat their chickens.

Benefits:

• You also will be supporting local farmers


• Supporting humane treatment of chickens


• Eating food with a healthy life-force energy.

2) "Animal Welfare Approved": Find eggs in your grocer from local farms that treat their hens well. They should be labeled “Animal Welfare Approved”.

Benefits:

• This means that the chickens were treated humanely


• Continuous outdoor perching access is provided


• They can nest, perch and have dust baths


• There are requirements for stocking density


• Birds must be allowed to molt naturally


• No beak cutting is allowed.


• They are not fed non-therapeutic antibiotics or hormones


• Compliance is verified through third-party auditing

Downside:

• They not readily available in most local grocers

For more information see Animal Welfare Approved.

3) "Certified Humane": Find eggs in your grocer labeled “Certified Humane - Raised and Handled”.

Certified Humane label

Benefits:

• Chickens are kept un-caged inside warehouses or barns


• They can nest, perch and have dust baths


• There are requirements for stocking density


• Birds must be allowed to molt naturally


• They are not fed non-therapeutic antibiotics or hormones.


• Compliance is verified through third-party auditing

Downside:

• Beak cutting is performed

For more information see Certified Humane.org

4) "USDA Organic": If you can’t find eggs from a local farm, or Certified Humane labeled eggs, then you should buy "USDA Certified Organic” eggs.

Benefits:

• They are kept un-caged in warehouses or barns


• They can nest, perch and have dust baths


• They are fed an organic diet free of antibiotics and pesticides


• Compliance is verified through third-party auditing

Downside:

• Beak cutting is performed


• Forced molting is permitted

You can see a rating of all organic eggs at Cornucopia.org.


5) "Cage Free" or "Free Range":Lastly, you can buy “Cage Free” or “Free Range” eggs.

Benefits:

• Because they are kept un-caged in warehouses or barns


• They can nest, perch and have dust baths


• “Free Range” can have some degree of access to the outdoors

Downside:

• Beak cutting is performed


• There is no third-party auditing

See the Humane Society article on Cage-Free vs. Battery-cage Chickens.
For a complete list of egg labeling standards, see the Humane Society article on Egg Carton Labels.

What Eggs Do I Buy?

Unfortunately, I don't have a local farm that raises chicken available to me in the area where I live.

So my family usually buys "Certified Humane" eggs.  When they are not available, I purchase "Cage Free" or "Free Range" eggs or "USDA Certified Organic".

At least it is a step in the right direction.