I know I like how our eggs taste… and I know I like how happy our chickens seem to be… But this chart appeases the science nerd part of my brain!
Pastured Chicken’s Eggs… the Better Egg.
Maybe it’s time to find a local farmers market… or better yet, keep a few hens of your own to supply your family with fresh nutritious eggs.
So… I can tell the difference between eggs from standard, non-medicated (but not free range, I assume) and free range chickens, but how do we tell if they are pasture raised… other than going to the farm (preferably your farm!), which of course is hard to do from Broadway and Commercial…
LikeLike
Good question! Egg carton labels are notorious for being confusing and misleading. Organic does not meant the birds are necessarily roaming around eating bugs, grass, and basking in the sun. Cage free and free range don’t equal pasture-raised, either. I don’t think there is another way to know for sure how the chickens are being raised except to find a local farmer and ask a lot of questions. Farmers are allowed to sell eggs at farmer’s markets, so you might be able to find someone to buy from that way. Keep in mind that birds that are raised reasonably naturally slow way down or stop laying altogether during the darkest months of winter. We aren’t used to thinking about eggs as a seasonal product, but in fact, the hens take a break during the winter. Heading into the gloomy days of November might make it a bit challenging to find a steady supply of eggs, but it’s a good time to start calling around, maybe make a field trip to visit a few farms on the weekends, and line up your supply for spring. Maybe you could organize a few like-minded folks to have an egg co-op – take turns driving out to the farm to pick up the eggs for the group. The farmer would appreciate the regular order and you and your friends would know for sure how your chickens are being raised. Let me know how you make out –
LikeLike