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Cage Free, Farm Fresh, Free Range, Pastured, etc. etc. etc. All the different labels can be totally confusing. So here are a few facts to help you make a decision of what kind of eggs you want to eat.Cage Free Eggs: - Really? To be totally honest with you - I have never ever put an egg in a cage? As far as the chicken goes - it only means that the chicken is not in a cage - Most likely the chickens spend their lives cramped up in an overcrowded hen houses, never seeing sunlight.
Vegetarian Fed Chickens: This one confuses me because chickens are omnivores, so a vegetarian feed might means they are not being fed a natural diet - so instead of natural proteins from worms and bugs, they are most likely getting protein from soy or fortified corn.
Free Range Eggs: This one can be tricky - Free range does not necessarily mean the chickens are roaming freely eating bugs and grass - According to a flyer from one "Free Range" farm that means five feet of green space per bird outside and two feet inside, as well as natural sunlight inside the hen house. So they are not running around in grass filled fields enjoying life.
Farm Fresh Eggs: Doesn't that sound appetizing? Eggs fresh from the farm. However unless you are buying directly from the farm or the farmer at a local farmers market - the label "farm Fresh" means nothing other than it is just eggs picked from chickens in cages on a farm. Small Farmers take much better care of their chickens and the chickens are not stressed out due to their environment.
I hope this helps you realize that the small farmer takes better care of their chickens and has fresher eggs then any big farm that produces thousands of eggs per week. Support your local Farmer.
According to testing done comparing the official USDA nutrient content of commercial mass produced eggs versus free-range, pasture raised hens, the results were more than amazing. The data revealed that free-range hens produced eggs that had 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 300% more vitamin E, 200% more Omega-3 fatty acids, 700% more beta carotene, and 4 to 6 times more vitamin D! I'd say hands down that free-range, farm fresh eggs are the bomb! Not only are they nutritionally superior, but they are far less likely to contain harmful bacteria like salmonella. If that hasn't convinced you than do a quick search on the treatment of commercial egg producing hens and take a look at the deplorable living conditions those poor chickens are subjected too. I know my chickens enjoy the freedom to scratch around, take dust baths and spread their wings. Happy hens lay healthy eggs!:
