I was given some Eggland's Best (EB) egg cartons and the concept of a vegetarian cage free chickens was really bothering me, as we all know there is no such thing. So I went to their website, and clicked on contact us. I sent this letter: I have a question regarding your eggs. I'm a bit concerned about the labelling on your egg cartons. I noticed right away that you said your eggs came from cage free chickens. Now, I understand that chickens that kept in an enclosed run can also be considered cage free. In any event, unless your chickens are kept in small confined cages, they must have access to the outdoors. Or at the very least the inside of a barn. If that is the case, there is no possible way that your chickens could be "vegetarian fed". Chickens are NOT vegetarians, and readily eat any bug or worm they happen across. I'm sure that if they have access to the outdoors, or an inside of a barn, they indeed DO eat bugs. How can you be allowed to call a cage free chicken vegetarian? To me, it would seem to be false advertising. Thanks for your time. Angela Billings And their reply was: Angela Billings, Thank you very much for alerting us to your concern. When we say that our hens are vegetarian fed we are stating that we never put any animal byproducts in the feed for the hens. This is something that cannot be assumed because some farms use animal byproducts and food waste in their feed. It is possible that in there cage free environment our hens come across insects that they may eat. This is not part of their typical diet but it is possible. This would be an insignificant part of their diet because they always have access to feed throughout the barn. We are sorry if you misunderstood the description but we were referring to the feed that is given to the hens. I hope I have answered your concern. Let me know if you have any other questions. John Courchesne Lab Manager Eggland's Best Inc. 1400 S Trooper Rd Suite 201 Jeffersonville, PA 19403 (610)265-6500 www.eggland.com What ya'll think about this?
I agree with them, no animal by products in the feed means that they are vegetarians, yes they do eat bugs, but you really cannot consider that as meat. I agree with them, and as long as they are not in cages, they are cage free, now they cant say there are free range, but they are cage free.
I guess vegetarian fed is true, they only get "fed" by Egglands Best a vegetarian feed. The chickens might get insects on their own, but technically not "fed" insects. My question is how do they get the chickens to lay eggs with their logo on them?
I have to agree with brooster. Bugs are not typically considered meat, so I guess it would be correct that they stand by the vegetarian fed label. As long as they aren't eating feed with animal byproducts in it and are not eating any meat, then they truly are vegetarian fed.
The response by the company fits my interpretation of the labeling on the carton. Cage free means access to the great outdoors. Vegetarian fed means the food provided is vegetarian and does not contain animal products. While the labeling may be putting the "best light" on the feeding/caging regime, especially keeping in mind the recent scares regarding mad cow disease, I do not feel it is a misrepresentation. And, yes, our backyard eggs still taste better than Eggland's Best.
Quote: I have wondered that myself. I want to get one of those egg stamps. lol. That'd be cool. It's also be helpful for breeding season, I could have a SK stamp for my silkie eggs, and a SS stamp for my silver sebrights. But they are expensive.
I would guess that because of all the hub bub over the mad cow scare and word getting out about animal parts and by-products being included in more than a fair share of the market food products fed to market animals used for human consumption that Eggland's Best is trying to capatilize on a marketing ploy to steer the public away from thinking their eggs come from chickens that are given feeds with animal byproducts or parts included in the processing of said feeds? Kinda like everyone went berzerk over being able to tag on "Organic" to their products when that whole craze set in. Now besides that being an incredibly long run-on sentence did you notice I managed to leave out all registered names/companies so as not to suggest any malicious activities on anyone's part? It was work for my feeble brain I guarantee!!!!! Forgive me please all of you English Teachers.... PLEASE!!!!!!