That's right folks, let's call them what they are, eggs in the US are mainly produced on places that look more like factories than farms. The chickens(factory workers) don't really have the best life either. You may see things like cage free, or free range labels on your egg cartons but that may not be the complete truth!
Government labeling standards allow for some, how shall I put this....leeway perhaps.
For example, cage free may mean that the hens are free to roam around a large enclosed, read free from natural light, barn. The factory farms use artificial light to manipulate the laying cycle of the chickens to achieve maximum production. They hens may also be packed in the barn like sardines as well as have parts of their upper beak removed, to prevent the hens from pecking each other to death. Overall not a great set up for the factory workers.
Now you might be thinking "free range must be way better than that", and you would be right, if the hens are allowed to range free and forage for some food.
In the US, the regulations for Free Range Eggs say that the hens must have access to the outdoors, what the regulations don't cover is how long they are allowed to roam or if they roam, as long as they have access to roam.
Now I'm not saying all egg producers skirt these labeling standards, but there is enough documentation out there to make a person wonder.
So What's the Solution?
Well one solution is to raise your own hens to have eggs when ever you want, chickens are pretty easy to raise up to laying age as long as you start them right, and keep predators away from them. Another answer is to buy eggs at your local farmer's market from local farmers. I have noticed recently that many store now carry locally raised eggs from small farmers where free range means free range.
My personal solution was to grow my own chickens, and I am hooked, it's hard to go back to eating eggs you didn't raise!
Now on to the Proof!
I started raising chickens several years ago, both for meat and eggs. The difference in taste for both has been an eye opener.
My flock of laying hens have pretty much free range over the place, they do have a coop that we put them up in at night, we live out in the sticks so hawks, owls, possums, foxes and raccoons can wipe out your chickens in no time flat.
I do feed them pelleted layer feed, but they usually can be seen running around the farm eating anything and everything up to including small frogs, insects, mice and even an occasional small snake.
So what? you say. What does this varied diet do for them and the eggs? let's take a look.
Don't take my word for it, see for yourself!
First off, here are three eggs I took from the nest just about an hour ago.
Next some store bought eggs, production has been slow due to the heat, I hate to do it but sometimes you have to LOL
Next let's take a look inside of the store bought model.
There it is, not a bad looking egg right, looks like your run of the mill grocery store egg.
Now let's see what the home grown egg looks like.
Boom, look at the color on that one, and trust me on this, you can't get any better flavor than a fresh egg right out of your coop.
Side by side comparison.
Let's look at the store bought egg on the left, see how the yolk spreads out while the farm raised yolk stands up a little higher? Look at the difference in the egg whites, It's hard to tell with the lighting but the farm raised white is a little more dense and less runny.
And the flavor difference can't really be compared, you'll have to try it for yourself, but trust me when I say, you'll be amazed!
So don't buy those factory raised eggs, get out and buy local!
You will taste the difference!
Thanks for stopping by, have a good one!