Sunday 25 July 2010

Why free range eggs aren't as ethical as you think

Let me begin by saying that free range eggs are much, much better than battery eggs.

This is something we all know - and most people who care about ethics opt for the free range option every time.  Battery hens are crammed into a miserable existence, unable to raise even a single wing; in contrast, free range hens are allowed at least some movement and outside access.

But is the free range option actually more damaging to chickens, the environment and the animal rights movement in general?

Or would it be better to avoid eggs altogether?

Here are a few facts

1. Free range hens are usually kept in cramped, indoor conditions.  The only legal requirement is that they have some access to the outdoors.  However, this often means a few holes cut in the walls, through which only a handful of chickens will ever go.  This 'outside' area is often a tiny patch of bare earth. 

2. Free range hens undergo painful and inhumane procedures - including being 'debeaked', which involves having the ends of their beaks cut off without anaesthetic.

3. For every free range hen born, a male chick is born.  As male chicks are unable to lay eggs they are usually killed soon after birth by a range of methods including gassing, strangulation, crushing or live shredding.  Those that are not killed are raised for meat, with none of the benefits that free range hens enjoy.

4. Free range hens are killed as soon as their egg-laying starts to wane - usually after about twelve months (their natural lifespan could be six-seven years).  This involves a long trip to a slaughterhouse without food or water, where they are killed using the same methods as non-free range hens.


5. While free range hens undoubtedly live in better conditions than battery hens, the existence of free range hens gives a 'conscience soother' to those people who would otherwise avoid eggs.  Therefore, like many other ethical 'tickets', such as carbon offsetting, it is diverting attention away from the real problem which is: the egg industry is cruel, no matter how it is carried out. 

6. All eggs, free range or otherwise, are packed full of cholesterol. 

7. Free range eggs still damage the environment - in fact more so, as more land and energy are required.  The meat industry is extremely damaging to the environment - more so than the world's entire transport system including aviation. 

8. Free range labels provide a smoke screen for farmers who actually engage in cruel activities.  An image is projected of happy, natural hens roaming the land, and ethically concerned consumers are deceived into believing they are making the humane choice.  If these labels did not exist, these same ethically concerned consumers would probably avoid buying eggs altogether. 

Obviously, if you are going to buy eggs at all, free range eggs are the preferable option.  But if the demand for eggs remains so high, then supply has to match it - and the only way to ensure adequate supply is by cramming as many hens as possible into as small a space as possible. 

Demand has to drop in order for supplies to drop - which is the only way to ensure hens are not subjected to horrific cruelty.

So next time you're shopping, why not consider avoiding eggs, free-range or otherwise?

9 comments:

  1. well a slightly better solution is organic eggs, but this too has its problems with supply and demand. i can say from personal 8experince though that from having family who raise chickins in a completely free range manner the egg supply is never a problem. from 3 chickens we recieve 2 or 3 eggs every day in a good season so the demand is never needed. i think the problem lies with the need for humans to have what they want when they want, instead of having things on a seasonal and local basis.

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  2. Yeah I hadn't thought about the seasonal aspect of it. There is also the fact that farmers (like most people) like to do things as cheaply as possible - the welfare of hens comes a poor second place next to profit. The less animals move around, the less energy they use and the more money is saved. I read that, if a farmer opens the door to the hen house for five seconds and shuts it before any hens have gone through, it still qualifies as free range because they theoretically have 'access' - it's shocking!

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  3. Before you shoot down eggs for their cholesterol the intake from food has less effect on the blood content than saturated fat and the health issues with egg are still highly debated.

    As for the poor treatment of hens it is appalling what farms can get away with. But it is not all farms. There are a number of organisations working to make a diference for example: http://www.bhwt.org.uk/cms/ or
    http://www.chickenout.tv/home.html (if you like to eat your chicken)

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  4. I understand the points made, but whilst I am happy to buy free range eggs - at greater expense - than battery laid ones, I would rather not do without eggs altogether.

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  5. What?, You are absolutely right that not all farms can be accused in the same way - but the fact remains that farmers *can* use the free range label in unethical ways, and consumers have no way of knowing whether the farms in question are responsible organisations (like the ones you've mentioned) or not. The only way to avoid paying for and perpetuating cruelty is to avoid eggs. If enough people did this, it would send the message that 'fake' free range just isn't good enough.

    Njs.14 - you are entitled to your opinion, and it is certainly better that you would rather buy free range eggs than battery laid ones. :-)

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  6. Don't get caught out by the foods that also contain eggs

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  7. If you are lucky to have a large enough garden why not "rescue" two or three battery hens and keep them yourself. You would then not only know that they are free range but that the eggs are freshly laid and also have the pleasure of hens clucking about the place. Be careful of urban foxes though and lock the chuckies in at night.

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  8. Thanks Technophobe - an excellent idea and one I'd love to try out one day! What a rewarding thing to do as well, knowing you'd saved some chickens from a life of misery.

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  9. I would love to have my own hens one day. When I am able, I will!

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