Healthier Eggs for consumption?

[FearlessFeather]

Thinking about this lately. I know free range chickens do better than penned up chickens. Proof is in the pudding or at least in the color of the egg yolk! I’ve seen my chickens eat plantain when loose and I’m sure they get a lot of what they need this way, being loose to free range. But depending where you live might limit what they have access to. I for one live in the woods. I am already into foraging. My grandmother was old school from eastern Kentucky so I was already eating plantain from her cast iron skillet! But lately I have been seeking more like nettles. Probably something they don’t necessarily have good access to. Been reading about use for chicken consumption and I have some dried nettles I use for tea. I’m getting ready to feed it to my hens. Nettles are a really good source of nutrition and suppose to increase egg production which has slowed down and presents a perfect time for a test. But really wondering about a study showing increase in nutrition from such diets. Something passed onto me from eating the egg because I fed nettles, lambs quarter and purslane and so on to my hen. I would like to see documented proof of my green eggs actually being higher in vitamins and minerals as once advertised by hatcheries. I would love to collect enough to feed year round and actually send off to a university for a study but it doesn’t really work that way. Corporations and lobbyists pay big money for studies with outcomes that are so desired. But anything that shows higher content of vitamins and minerals for human consumption of eggs from such diets is what I’m looking for. Just thought I would use a resource here on the forum. Look forward to any good feedback.

 

[Cebarmlds]

We know our eggs from free ranging hens are healthier than store eggs. There is probably info from a study somewhere. I hope you find it.

 

[JoePa]

Let’s think about this for a moment - store bought eggs are raised in a closed environment - free range chickens are more likely to get parasites and thus require some sort of medicine to get ride of them - also requiring a period of no eating eggs - I am not sure that eggs from free ranging chickens are necessarily always healthier than store bought

 

[Ruthster55]

The attached studies may be of interest. The file titled PDF (2).pdf is the study by Karsten et al. that showed a somewhat better nutrient profile with pastured eggs.

My guess is that this has to do with the hens being able to consume plants and insects and also with sun exposure so they produce more vitamin D. Caged (and even cage free) hens are fed vitamin D supplements because they never see the sun.

 

[FearlessFeather]

Let’s think about this for a moment - store bought eggs are raised in a closed environment - free range chickens are more likely to get parasites and thus require some sort of medicine to get ride of them - also requiring a period of no eating eggs - I am not sure that eggs from free ranging chickens are necessarily always healthier than store bought

I won’t argue a few pros to the other side. But no argument, free ranging eggs have way more nutrition over commercial caged chickens. Commercial chickens live on antibiotics because you have hundreds or thousands of birds caged together and on top of one another. My main point wasn’t really free range versus commercial. I don’t even think it’s debatable. As if parasites and disease are not prevalent in commercial barns. But my point is making sure some of the wild herbs supplementing a chickens diet would boost the vitamin and mineral intake for the consumer. I was looking for an unbiased study. Purslane for instance adds omega 3 to the chicken egg while reducing other undesired fats. This is what I am really interested in. A full maximum diet for the most complete healthy egg. Going that extra step even over free ranging in one local vicinity. To actually get a complete study of percentage of vitamins and minerals from the best diet possible. If certain plants would pass more onto the consumer through the egg. The debates are more (commercial) eggs being healthy vs unhealthy. Pro commercial farms versus animal activists. I’m really not in that debate. I’m looking to boost the egg even more!

 

[FearlessFeather]

Look

The attached study may be of some interest.

Looks like a study to read, I will check it out. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Ruthster55]

I won’t argue a few pros to the other side. But no argument, free ranging eggs have way more nutrition over commercial caged chickens. Commercial chickens live on antibiotics because you have hundreds or thousands of birds caged together and on top of one another. My main point wasn’t really free range versus commercial. I don’t even think it’s debatable. As if parasites and disease are not prevalent in commercial barns. But my point is making sure some of the wild herbs supplementing a chickens diet would boost the vitamin and mineral intake for the consumer. I was looking for an unbiased study. Purslane for instance adds omega 3 to the chicken egg while reducing other undesired fats. This is what I am really interested in. A full maximum diet for the most complete healthy egg. Going that extra step even over free ranging in one local vicinity. To actually get a complete study of percentage of vitamins and minerals from the best diet possible. If certain plants would pass more onto the consumer through the egg. The debates are more (commercial) eggs being healthy vs unhealthy. Pro commercial farms versus animal activists. I’m really not in that debate. I’m looking to boost the egg even more!

Am afraid there has been only a little bit of research on pastured eggs and the best forage plants for the hens. It's hard to find even articles about the nutritional benefits of pastured eggs.

 

[Sally PB]

In the warm months, I have lots of purslane, plantain, lamb's quarter, etc. The chickens LOVED plantain. I ate most of the lamb's quarter. I'm hoping they like the stinging nettle that I dried to add to their food when I can't find any greens at all for them. (Like in a couple weeks, probably.)

I am very interested in whatever results you might find, FearlessFeather. I hope you post them.

 

[FearlessFeather]

Thank you Ruthster55, the study was a good read. It’s a starting point anyhow

 

[FearlessFeather]

In the warm months, I have lots of purslane, plantain, lamb's quarter, etc. The chickens LOVED plantain. I ate most of the lamb's quarter. I'm hoping they like the stinging nettle that I dried to add to their food when I can't find any greens at all for them. (Like in a couple weeks, probably.)

I am very interested in whatever results you might find, FearlessFeather. I hope you post them.

Will do, the article below mentions the increase of egg production towards the end but not an in-depth study.
https://www.countryfarm-lifestyles.com/stinging-nettles.html