These are eggs.
When you go to the grocery store, you will see cartons of eggs.
On the carton of eggs, you will see words like…
- Cage eggs
- Cage-free eggs
- Free-range eggs
- Pasture-raised eggs
Let’s talk about these terms…
Cage Eggs: Conventional cages are often sloped to the floor. There could be up to 3-8 birds in a cage. Hen’s don’t participate in natural behavior like walking or foraging. They can not nest or roost. They can have foot damage due to overgrown claws. Cost $.
Cage-Free Eggs: Then hen can move free horizontally (side to side) and vertically (up and down). They have at least 1 square foot of floor space. However, the hens might not have access to the outdoor. The hens are free to nest, roost and forage. Cost $$.
Free-range eggs: The hens have at least 1 square foot of floor space, like cage-free eggs. They also have access to some form of an outside area. However, there is no standard on how much time the hens are outside or what the outside space looks like. Cost $$$.
Pasture-Raised Eggs: The hens have regular access to a large outdoor that is covered with grass and other plants, like a pasture. Cost $$$$.
After knowing about cage, cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised eggs, what kind of eggs do you want to eat? What kind of eggs, do you prefer to buy?
