Cage free is better?

[speckledhen]

LOL, I'd just LOVE to know how that man "knows" these what these hens want and dont want and what they know about predators lurking outside! Geez! What a crock!

 

[silkiechicken]

Haha, yeah. I know my birds have gotten eaten by predators, and hunted by birds from the sky, yet every day they want to come out and play. I don't think predators are the issue with those birds.

Honestly, if I go buy eggs at the store, I get what's on sale. Why? Because if I have to buy eggs at the store, all the birds are treated poorly anyways. Luckily, my hens give me eggs.

 

[FarmerDenise]

As ChicknGurl stated Mother Earth news has some really good articles on this issue. Their website is at www.MotherEarthNews.com. They tested eggs from different small farms and chicken breeds and listed the info in one of their recent articles. It was very enlightening. I recommend that BYC forum members read it. You will like it!

It is negligent that a respected news magazine would publish such outrageously incorrect information.
Anyone who has eaten an egg from a backyard chicken will attest to the huge difference in looks, taste and texture.

 

[kstaven]

It is a good arcticle denise. The problem with the usatoday one is, people will believe the garbage written, and not look at study criteria or question the information given.

I read arcticles like the one that started this thread and am reminded of a little historical tidbit. Your right to bear arms was put in place with the thought of the people being able to protect themselves. Not from an outside force, but from a corrupt and oppressive administration.

 

[Wooden_Pony]

Quote:
Hahaha, that one cracked me up too! But my sexlinks are black, doesn't that mean I get black eggs?

WOW I can not wait for my BR to lay tie died black and white eggs I will have!! YIIPEEE

 

[FarmerDenise]

I agree with you kstaven. that is why I think it is so negligent of USA Today to publish that article. People trust the information they put out. And now the rest of us have to prove them wrong.
Personnally I have found that me being me and being "quietly" outspoken, I have won more people over to my side. No matter what the subject.
I just do my best to live right. "Do as you will, harm none" is my credo.
And now and then, I kick butt!!!

 

[DoctorGoose]

Y'know...I think all of us should write them...maybe they will do another article and correct their mistakes? Oh--but it was written in 06...nuts..

 

[Betsy]

Quote:
That was my first thought too...until I saw when it was written! I think all of us here at BYC could confirm that chickens are happiest when they can go outside...and give several books worth of advice on protecting said birds from predators.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

Our chickens are very lucky, even though we cull our chickens periodically the life they live is so much more superior to those of the battery cage chicken. Being able to free-range and enjoy all of their natural instincts, eating quality and nutritious foods, we have been very fortunate to have never experienced a sick chicken and reaped the benefits of fresh eggs and meat plus all the enjoyment they give us.

 

[Arklady]

Speckled Hen said: how do these men know what hens want.

Well its simple. Based on what has been fed chickens for thousands of years. Mankind KNOWS what a chicken NEEDS to live productivly. The thing is, we americans treat chickens as if they are little humans and they are not. Sorry to be the wet blanket here but poultry lives to feed us only not to be anything but that. It was designed for reason. If you CHOOSE to make them a pet and give them wants it is only YOUR wants you are putting in the place of THEIR NEEDS. Chickens need very little to be productive and that is the operative word here.

I totally understand why huge egg production farms came into existance, it was because for years no one wanted to deal with those nasty bug eaten, bug ridden, disgusting animals. They eat each others poop and so ... viola a need for HUMANS was filled by the battery chicken egg farms... Now they won't eat each others poops and it feeds America.

There are millions of people out there who will never ever raise a chicken if the battery egg farms came down do you all think. Your birds could produce enough eggs to supply the demand in your neck of the woods?? I don't think so.

So until we have the rest of America understanding they need to either 1. raise their own (ha!) 2. Buy from local chicken people. We will have to fill the need for eggs.

Currently most of you on here could not raise enough eggs to feed the locals high egg demands. So lets be reasonable and understanding enough to know that there are kids out there that need those battery eggs. Until there is such a time that the government lets everyone raise them for eggs in the city people will need to buy eggs from someone!

I think the only thing I dislike about such stories is that it makes you guys think chickens have wants and they do not... they operate strictly by what they need, they are far more simple than say a dog or horse.

I for one at this point in time cannot provide more than say 3 families with eggs on a weekly basis and I have like 50 chickens and more than half are hens.

So... HOW many families can you provide eggs for???

Arklady