Any updates on what free range eggs you're buying now?
davidt4,
Mar 21, 9:41pm
Whangaripo Valley. They are always a good size and very fresh.
bedazzledjewels,
Mar 21, 10:09pm
Thanks. I couldn't remember the name of them and I don't have any here right now. Nice eggs.
lythande1,
Mar 21, 11:11pm
Which only comes from feeding them greens. Not whether or not they run around outside.
dbab,
Mar 22, 12:35am
I like these too
deanna14,
Mar 22, 2:17am
Also depends on the breed.
buzzy110,
Mar 22, 2:25am
I buy from either a Farmer's market (Parnell or French Mkt) or from the local market. The eggs are always the best - thick, solid shells, whites that hold their shape and don't spread all over the pan and a decent colour yolk. I don't buy from the free range egg place at the Farmer's mkt in Parnel, preferring to buy from either the "Clevedon" shop or the Farm Gate shop. They both have limited supplies but I know their hens are truly free range and are eating 'bugs'.
If I had to buy eggs, a farmers' market would be my choice too . but a white that holds it's shape is more indicative of freshness rather than whether it's a truly free range egg or not. I can use eggs that are 10+ days old from my own chooks, & the whites are great 'holders.
rainrain1,
Mar 22, 6:00am
They are a different orange, and never taste as good as the egg from a chook that has the run of the farm
samanya,
Mar 22, 6:07am
Ain't that the truth!
guinevere2,
Mar 22, 10:46am
They can put whatever colour they like in the feed to get whatever strength of yellow/orange out that they want. Depending on what the majority of consumers want. Free range chooks generally get fed the same feed as battery hens + whatever they forage which typically, per hen is not much. (Talking about the big free range operations here)
rainrain1,
Mar 22, 7:21pm
Yep, I know that. but never the same beautiful 'shade' of orange as the wandering farm chook. nor taste!
sheltie08,
Mar 22, 7:30pm
Think there was an article doing the rounds where the only definition to be free range was the little more space per bird. According to that most of the free range brands are part of the large chains and its no guarentee that they ever been outside etc.
The ones certified as organic are the only true free range ones
bedazzledjewels,
Mar 22, 7:43pm
Buzzy, are Farm Gate and Clevedon shops part of Parnell market please? Okay, I see that Farm .gate are there. Thanks for the tip.
mjhdeal,
Mar 22, 9:40pm
The lack of definition of 'free-range' bothers me - don't want to think I am doing myself/birds a favour, to no avail. Didn't know 'organic' was a clue. Thanks :)
buzzy110,
Mar 22, 10:40pm
There is a 'free range' farm up the road from me. THe hens do roam free, in large paddocks and have a comfy barn to roost in at night. So technically they are free range. However, as pointed out, or hinted at in other posts, there are thousands of birds and paddocks are filled with them during the day. I doubt they are getting much goodness from their 'foraging'. All bugs, grubs, seeds,insects and available grit would be well picked over by the end of the first day.
One of the reasons I buy free range is because I think that barn and 'crate' housed hens live a miserable life in appalling conditions and I won't support farmers who put profits before animal welfare if I can help it.
treens2,
Mar 23, 5:52am
hens will go off the lay if they are not fed correctly, they need 125 grams off 16 percent protein meal per day. Hope this helps getting your hens laying again
sheltie08,
Mar 23, 7:14am
This was the article. Obviously people will have opposing points of view
Its carotene they add to the feed to colour the yolks, same as the chooks get from greens if they can naturally. for flavor its the other stuff they eat snails bugs etc etc I used to feed my Black Orpington chooks allot of fish scraps with heaps of silverbeet and they had beautiful massive eggs.
mjhdeal,
Mar 23, 7:13pm
Interesting - o well, even if it only benefits the chickens, I'll still buy free-range.
mjhdeal,
Mar 23, 7:14pm
Thanks for that. I'll be buying Frenz eggs from now on then !
sherrydog,
Mar 24, 3:10am
Buy the ones with the SPCA sticker on them. Guaranteed to be free range. How can anyone expect animals kept the way battery hens are kept to have any nutritional value in the eggs?
and blind folded taste tests have proven that people cannot tell the difference.
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