Good Morning/Afternoon class,

Battery-cage chickens spend the entirety of their life in a cell that averages less
than an A4 sized paper per bird, forced to stand without movement or stretching
of the wings. On the other hand, free-range eggs allow chickens to move around,
feed and stretch their wings resulting in more nutritious eggs due to decreased
amount of stress. Sadly this is not the reality. Recent studies and research by US
Department of Agriculture have shown that the way cage-free chickens are
treated still does not match the criteria of Producers must demonstrate to the
Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside. Thus, this
raises questions regarding the ethical issues associated with these methods of
production and whether free-range eggs are really beneficial or a better, more
humane way of production.
Battery-cage eggs are cheap to produce. The automated system of collecting
eggs, providing feed and using limited space for mass production allows farmers
to produce eggs for a cheap price, thus resulting in greater profits. This method
of production requires minimal maintenance and organisation thus is very
efficient. Although this method of production is the easiest and most profitable
for farmers, it is a cruel and inhumane way of production. The wired floor in the
cages slopes down at an angle with results in deformed feet and disallowing
chickens to sit down properly. They also have the tips of their beaks cut or burnt
off to try and prevent them doing any damage to the other birds caged right
beside them. In fact, some of these toxic, windowless warehouses can contain as
many as 100,000 caged chickens, never seeing sunlight and fed a diet of corn
waste and chemicals. Not only is this unethical and inhumane, but the eggs that
are sold in the supermarkets are far from the ideal egg. The salmonella issues
and inflammatory fat profiles associated with these eggs reflect their quality and
farmers making money unethically is definitely wrong.

On the other hand, free range eggs are much more nutritious, ethically correct
and birds are treated much better with space to move around. In regards to
nutrition, free-range eggs include:
-

Twice as much omega-3 fatty acids.

Three times more vitamin E.

Seven times more provitamin A beta-carotene

A quarter less saturated fat.

A third less cholesterol.

As well as being nutritiously beneficial, this way of production reduced stress on

chickens and is a more humane method of production.

Because of public oppositions to battery cage confinement, many egg producers

are switching to cage-free systems, however, the US Department of Agriculture
found that many farmers were abusing the criteria, manipulating the public and
mass producing in congested barns under the title of free-range egg production.

Additionally, it is known that the hens still undergo similar treatment to battery
hens. In both production methods hens are:
-

Debeaked with a hot bloody blade at one day old, with no anaesthetic.

- Force moulted (intentionally starved to shock the body into another laying
cycle).
- At only 18 months old, just young girls, the hens are considered spent (unable
to keep laying eggs at a fast enough pace) and are killed by the cheapest means
possible.
- All of her brothers (roosters) are brutally killed as baby chicks simply because
they cant lay eggs.
Thus, it becomes clear that in reality the free-range hens have been treated in
the same way to battery-caged hens. The only difference being that hens are
given more space and freedom, however, they still undergo and endure cruel
bodily manipulations and mutilations, ending up at a slaughterhouse when their
production declines.

So which method of production is really better? Comparatively, free-range eggs

are less inhumane and reduce the stress of the hens, thus resulting in more
nutritious eggs. Additionally, they eliminate the salmonella issues and
inflammatory fat profiles associated with eggs. Although some farmers
manipulate the public into thinking that their way of production is completely
humane, this way of production is still comparatively better than battery-cage as
greater freedom is allowed, more attention is given and the stress is reduced,
resulting in high-quality eggs.