Sunday July 4, 2010, 11:32 pm
Myth: Free-range eggs come from hens that roam freely outdoors.

PLEASE READ THE MYTH BELOW THAT YOU MAY HAVE BEEN FALLING FOR ALL THIS TIME!!!

Fact: The claims are not regulated for eggs, according to Consumer Reports. So there is no guarantee that the hen that laid the eggs ever saw the light of day. Of course, it may have spent time outdoors, but the “free range” label doesn’t mean anything. The following labels are also meaningless when it comes to eggs: “free roaming,” “hormone free,” and “raised without antibiotics.”

Sunday July 4, 2010, 11:50 pm
In my opinion, eggs are just eggs. We cannot rely 100 percent on the labels.

Sunday July 4, 2010, 11:57 pm
noted

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:09 am
Charmaine, yes eggs are eggs..but what the hens went through for humans to get them is always kept hidden, hence this news post for educational purposes.

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:32 am
Interesting!! TY MeowFoul for sharing.

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:39 am
"" How come, when it's us it's an "abortion" and when it's a chicken it's an "omlette" ? "" -- George Carlin
---
unfortunately not a myth:
(here, in EU) eggs from hens that do get outside some of the time were found to have higher levels of (Tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-) Dioxin than those from hens that are imprisoned all the time [if i recall correctly, they had to raise the max.allowed Dioxin-level for the 'freeland' eggs to remain sell-able]
... shows how utterly the environment is messed up
... and is another strong argument for preferring food from down lower in the food-chain =~ veganism
--
choosing NO eggs (and products with ~) is very simple

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:46 am
I learned more about eggs than I ever knew. I also like the taste of them. I loved Wolf d A's quote from George Carlin, one of my favorate comedians.

When I get up tomorow (it's 3:45am July 5 here), I'm going to have some eggs. Its on my mind now. :)
Good night.

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:53 am
You have to be able to determine the level of obfuscation used to con the public into buying any product! For example in the UK food labled with the RSPCA approved Red Tractor freedom food lable may well have originated in a factory poultry farm from abused and natural life denied birds who have never seen daylight let alone pecked amongst the grass and joyous delights of a barnyard. In fact more like to have been abused forced to share tiny "living" space with dead, dying and deceased colleagues whilst be pumped full of hormones and antibiotics!

Monday July 5, 2010, 1:21 am
MeowFoul. thanks for the valuable post, It was interesting.

but about "Choosing eggs is not nearly as simple as it should be" I'm so glad I'm vegetarian, don't eat eggs.

Monday July 5, 2010, 1:44 am
Thanks MeowFoul. Loved the use of George Carlin's quote above! Can't say I'm in the least bit surprised consumers are being conned - aren't they always?!

Monday July 5, 2010, 2:23 am
Thank you for sharing!

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:00 am
My friend has chickens. She often brings egg in to work (there are lots of grateful recipients) I have no garden or space to compost, so I bag up my food scraps and freely donate to the chickens. I know what they eat, I know their living conditions, and the eggs are great.
Plus I get to use up my vegetable waste rather than throwing it out.

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:04 am
eggs are gross go vegan

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:17 am
Thanks for the article.

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:22 am
I have 2 chickens and I live in the heart of the city - Los Angeles. My chooks are in a coop at night and run when I'm not home but are free to run the organic yard other wi.se. They get plenty to TLC and organic food besides. the one thing I bet many do not know that any egg you get at the store is about 2 - 3 months old. I get mine as soon as they are laid. Try it, they are inexpensive, make great pets, quiet, don't need a walk, endless fun, easy to take care of, eat pests and mice, give the best fertilizer money can buy and eat all your table scraps!

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:46 am
Maybe I am lazy but being a vegan is about not having to make choices.. but if I lived next to Sue W and she was to sell me some eggs i would probably eat them. My whole vegan thing is about suffering.. animals suffering I mean, and now Sue has got me thinking about chickens eating those bugs.. but I have three dogs.. so chickens are out.

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:47 am
OH BLIMEY DAYS, LOL.

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:59 am
Sharon, I had 2 G Shepherds till a little while ago when they both died but would eat every animal in sight (they were rescues) and I have a cat. We are getting another dog soon. They can be kept separate or can be trained not to touch. You can make a bigger run if it is a problem also and give them grass clippings. I know of a guy who has 2 spots of grass and moves the coop/run over when they have depleted the one area. Many ways around it.
checkout www.backyardchickens.com lots of excellent info

Monday July 5, 2010, 4:55 am
Thanks, noted. Very informative.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:09 am
I was told the Myth that an Egg, is a chicken's Period.!! weather true or not, it has prevented me from eating an egg for the past 10 years.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:14 am
Noted Go Vegan!

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:17 am
Borg, Dunno exactly what you mean by that but if you think that every egg has a baby chicken in it - it does not. Chickens have eggs all the time without ever being fertilized by a rooster. In fact it is bad to leave an unfertilized egg with a chicken as they eat them and if ever they get with a rooster they will end off eating the fertilized egg aswell. So in essence you are doing a chicken a favor by eating the eggs.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:55 am
Vegan!

Eggs are are unfertilized chicken fetuses. And George Carlin was right on the mark.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:05 am
Go vegan and you don't have to worry about it.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:07 am
thanks for sharing

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:16 am
Noted.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:18 am
Thank you for sharing, dear!

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:38 am
Noted, and will share. Thank you Meow.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:39 am
My husband and I had just discussed these issues on eggs last week. A great deal of what they "label" the cartons as has nothing to do with how the chickens were really raised. Which is bad. We pay a premium for what we think is farm raised, natural eggs, where the hens are allowed to scratch the ground, and roam free, yet that is often not true at all. So, might as well by the cheapest eggs, sounds like other than going to someone you know and trust that raises and sells eggs, that the markets are mainly for show, and basically not really the truth

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:42 am
Andrew, There are no unfertilized egg fetuses. All there is is a cell that dies off after it is laid if it has not been fertilized prior. You don't even eat it by the time it gets to you.

Monday July 5, 2010, 7:57 am
Interesting! Thanks!

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:25 am
Thanks for the egg-ceptional info.

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:55 am
And I thought you were going to tell me which came first. Thanks for the info. I buy my eggs at the farmer's market in my town and know the farm where they come from.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:01 am
Thanks for the important info. I have my own chickens and they are allowed to roam freely, except in my flower garden.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:26 am
Thanks! Noted!

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:31 am
Im vegan but we have rescued ex-battery farm chickens. Any eggs they lay we sell to family and friends for a small price to cover their food. The only way to go is to buy them from somewhere you have visited and seen how they are treated.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:42 am
good article, after reading it everybody else will also become vegans

Monday July 5, 2010, 10:21 am
This is precisely why i go to the farmers market now and will have my own chickens later.

Monday July 5, 2010, 10:34 am
Love eggs but will only eat them once a week.

Plant & protect trees for life.................

Monday July 5, 2010, 10:37 am
eggs are cruel, even if you keep your own chicken or buy from a farmers market...go vegan!

Monday July 5, 2010, 10:42 am
Noted and Tweeted! Thanks for the info.;may prove to be useful when deciding what kinds of eggs to buy! "RJM"

Monday July 5, 2010, 11:30 am
Thanks for this artical Meow,in the past i've bought organic or free range,something to think about.

Monday July 5, 2010, 11:48 am
The only way is to buy no eggs at all.

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:31 pm
thanks!

Monday July 5, 2010, 12:39 pm
noted...

Monday July 5, 2010, 2:43 pm
I don't eat animals, but I admit, I do like my eggs for a weekend breakfast or in baking. Up 'till now, I thought buying free range eggs was the way to go, at least the hens would have a decent outdoor life, or so I thought. I guess I have to contact the company and find our for sure. Wish I could keep some chickens, in fact, they (the city) recently permitted residents to keep chickens on a city property here in Nanaimo, BC. Unfortunately, I have 3 big dogs, who, I'm sure, would make life for chicken very unpleasant if not impossible.

Monday July 5, 2010, 2:51 pm
I was horrified back in the 80's by an egg farming expose on the TV program 20/20. I bought only eggs labeled as cage-free thereafter, until I read that cage free doesn't mean that the eggs are cruelty free. Then I started buying eggs labeled "humane certified". I read an article stating that even humane certified doesn't mean the eggs were humanely produced, so I called the company, Egg Innovations, and was told that the hens are still debeaked and spend their entire lives indoors. Commercial eggs come from hens that are debeaked upon hatching and shipped to the egg companies with no regard for their welfare during shipment, so many chicks die during transport. Male chicks are ground up or pulverized alive, as seen on 20/20's expose and it is still happening all these years later! When the hens are no longer productive egg-layers, they are packed into crates and shipped to slaughterhouses where they are hung by their feet and have their throats slit and are dunked into scalding water. No "stunning" required by law.

Nick H., I like the taste of eggs, too, but I won't put another sentient being through a life and death of hell so I can enjoy the taste of an egg! There are lots of "tastes" I can enjoy that are cruelty-free.

Monday July 5, 2010, 2:54 pm
Thanks for the info!

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:03 pm
noted,thanx

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:36 pm
Thanks for the information.

Monday July 5, 2010, 3:42 pm
Luckily we buy our organic eggs from a local farm where the lady has to hunt for the eggs outside in the pen because they really do have freedom all day, and are kept in a coop at night for their safety.

The eggs you buy in a grocery store can be as old as 6 months.
The darker orange the color of the yolk is, the fresher the egg. Pale yolks are very old eggs.

Monday July 5, 2010, 4:08 pm
You cannot currently send a star to wolf d because you have done so within the last week.
I'm so disappointed. Eggs from free range chickens cost double. Now I learn I might have been paying for nothing. Makes me hesitate to continue. Guess the best would be to stop eating them, but that will be more difficult than giving up meat.

Monday July 5, 2010, 4:28 pm
An unfertilized chicken egg is no more a baby chick than an unfertilized human egg is a baby human.

Unfertilized means there is NO chance for it to become a sentient being, and also no chance for pain to be involved.

I rarely eat eggs, but I am disappointed that "free range" and "anti-biotic free" labels are not trackable for verification. Shouldn't there be some testing of the laying hens to prove they don't have banned substances in their blood?

But I'm VERY suprised that anyone could ever think that organic eggs wouldn't NECESSARILY come from organically fed chickens. And that also means that the land they live on is organic.

Monday July 5, 2010, 4:42 pm
To get the Organic label they have to go through land and feed testing Deanna already. The whole point of this kind of article is to support Monsanto and confuse the public into thinking GMO stuff is okay. They have already bought out many organic farms and seed companies and there lies the problem of some truth connected to it.

It is very easy to figure out which eggs are better and which are not by researching the company brand owners.

But, it scares the hell out of me that people who say they care about animals but in turn want to ban anything and everything in sight so that the animal has no purpose to exist and in turn will create an extinction of the species. People can take this just too far.

Monday July 5, 2010, 4:43 pm
Noted and thanks.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:00 pm
Sue, To clarify what i mean by that has been proved by the comments. That a chicken's Period is an unfertilized chicken fetus.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:18 pm
VERY INTERESTING !!!
READ, SIGNED & NOTED.

Monday July 5, 2010, 5:48 pm
But Borg, it can't be a fetus unless it's been fertilized. And even then, in the beginning, it's called a zygote. The rooster can't fertilize an egg if it's been taken away before he gets to it.

Think about the human egg. It's just an egg rambling down the fallopian tube, with no particular job ahead of it, except to keep traveling until menstruation or fertilization. If fertilization doesn't happen, you can't call it a fetus. It's just an egg that will get washed out of the body.

The egg MUST be fertilized before it can become a fetus. So the chicken eggs we eat are NOT unfertilized fetuses. They are unfertilized eggs, never having a chance to become a fetus.

With all the wonderful nutritional qualities that eggs have, why are only non-human animals allowed to eat them? Why are humans less deserving of that nutrition than non-humans?

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:02 pm
Borg, You should read up on chickens. It is a female cell inside an egg that starts to die off when not fertilized and If left to eat their own eggs it promotes them eating their young when fertilized and cannibalism among them.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:06 pm
I had to laugh at the "fallopian tube" bit Deanna, but that's just cos I'm a bloke Hee Hee..
OK so they are NOT Fetus's..... Sorry, i just cant believe i'm talking about Fetus's and fallopian tubes, :)
So if its not a fetus then what is it.... an unfertilized Egg... That's still disgusting.. i won't eat an unfertilized egg from a human..YUK. and i'm not going to eat one from a chicken. Yukky YUK.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:27 pm
Borg, it isn't even there by the time it gets to you. Again it is a cell that starts to die off if it has not been fertilized and we are talking the size of a pin prick here not a grape.

Monday July 5, 2010, 6:37 pm
Yeah, Sue. Deanna Happily spelled it out for me OK. and gave me a giggle at the same time.
and by the time an egg gets to you' the consumer' the cell dies off but what is left behind Is the size of a grape, Or An Egg :)

Monday July 5, 2010, 7:32 pm
Drone, LOL!

Monday July 5, 2010, 7:37 pm
Glad I Made You Smile Sue, Thank you for the Green star.

Monday July 5, 2010, 7:43 pm
Noted, thanks.

Monday July 5, 2010, 7:50 pm
"So if its not a fetus then what is it.... an unfertilized Egg... That's still disgusting.. "

It's THE MOST COMPLETE form of protein that our bodies can easily assimilate. Many forms of protein are not complete, and most forms can't be assimilated by the human body. I'm guessing we got the idea to eat eggs when the cavemen saw the animals eating them and not dying. (grin)

I'm glad I made you smile.

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:02 pm
Well the Most Complete Form of Easily Assimilated Protein is Not Part Of The Borg Diet.,..... Neither Are Eggs LOL

It's just an egg rambling down the fallopian tube,

Do You think it is singing the "Happy Wanderer" Song :))

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:14 pm
so great to know...thanks

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:27 pm
Drone, Your welcome. No it's singing Howay the lads!

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:35 pm
Ahh, eggs aren't part of the borg diet...only complete human beings, as it is futile to resist assimiliation! LOL

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:41 pm
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.....Unless you are an Egg, Or Anything that Rambles down a fallopian Tube, Singing "O Come All Ye Faithful" Ha Ha

Monday July 5, 2010, 8:55 pm
You cannot currently send a star to DeannaGiggles because you have done so within the last week.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:14 pm
My Implants are failing me Sue!! Borg Drone Needs To Regenerate.....Sleep, but i dont want to be dreaming of fallopian tubes LOL

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:25 pm
This thread has degraded in the most delighful way! We don't see THAT kind of degradation very often. How nice!
Thanks for the fun AND the info.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:46 pm
Wow, having read all the above comments, I am dazzled by so many different opinions! Most of you have never lived on a farm or raised chickens, obviously. My parents kept chickens just for eggs, not meat. They were far better eggs than those we buy in the store. Contact the Humane Society of the US for a list of egg companies that shows which are humane and which are not.

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:50 pm
I'm Vegan and I don't eat or cook eggs.
Noted and Thank You so much for sharing with Us my Beloved Friend.
HAVE A VERY BLESSED NIGHT EVERYBODY!
Much Love,
B.D♠

Monday July 5, 2010, 9:57 pm
These comments were more interesting to read than the article itself !!
noted with a smile :)

Monday July 5, 2010, 11:52 pm
ooooook. whatver i guess.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 12:01 am
No eggs for me. Thank you

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 12:36 am
Noted! Thanks for the great article. I love stuff like this because I am always trying to be healthy and aware of animals' well-being. I don't really eat eggs, but it is good to know so I can educate others who do.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:10 am
Noted!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:19 am
the humane society are not even humane themselves, what hypocrites.
There is no such thing as a cruelty free egg.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:24 am
The unnaturally high level of egg production also contributes to osteoporosis (see below) as calcium is drained from the hens' bodies for the production of egg shells, often leading to severe osteopena.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:24 am
In 2003, there were 9,743 laboratory-confirmed cases in the UK of salmonella enteriditis, a pathogen commonly linked to the consumption of eggs. Between 1992-2002, of 143 outbreaks of food-borne Infectious Intestinal Disesease (food poisoning) where eggs were reported as the vehicle of infection, 124 were caused by salmonella entiriditis. (By definition an outbreak involves more than one person with an established link between the cases.) (PHL 06.01.04)

Advice from the Government's Food Standards Agency (FSA) is that "eating raw eggs may pose a health risk. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the sick, babies and pregnant women should only consume eggs that have been cooked until the white and yolks are solid" (FSA, 2001).

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:25 am
Eggs are high in saturated fat and cholesterol - one of the main causes of heart disease. Eating protein-rich animal products can actually cause calcium loss: for every 100g of egg consumed, 20mg of calcium is lost. Eggs also stop our bodies from absorbing plant-derived iron. There are no nutrients in eggs that you can't get from elsewhere. In fact, cutting out animal products entirely is the really healthy option

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:25 am
and a big thanks to animal aid. how many people fall for this shit about eggs and free range and even keeping their own. it's ALL cruel!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:26 am
Thanks

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 1:30 am
Chick hatcheries breed one or other strain of chick depending on which industry they supply - egg or meat. Male chicks born of the egg-laying variety are deemed useless because they cannot lay eggs, but are no good for meat production either. Each year, approximately 30 million day old male chicks are 'disposed of'.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 2:00 am
Noted, but still love my eggs.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 3:05 am
Now I learned something... Thanks Meow!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 3:24 am
noted

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 3:46 am
MeowFowl, I have to wonder do you really hate chickens that much that you would rather see them go to extinction because they surely could not thrive out in today's wild especially here in the US. I hope not, as I would have to say you lost your purpose somewhere.

Now, I also wonder why when you are against chicken's as pets you say you have a cat and a rabbit? I could say that is cruel. Where do you keep the rabbit in a cage?
I think you should make up your mind where you draw the line before you take out your frustration over f farms on people who actually care about their pets and treat them with the utmost respect. I don't think I know too many rabbit owners who spend months building and spending big bucks for their rabbit's house like most chicken enthusiasts do nor, most dog or cat owners for that matter.

Now, on the salmonella thing I have never known a chicken lover to ever get sick from their eggs. Me , I get plenty of VitD3 from the sun and extra vitamins in the winter so when I have an egg or two nothing gets depleted. Not that it would bother me anyway because they are always doing some study or another that contradicts the first study. Moderation is key, anything in excess has it's downfalls and not only that I like to vary my foods and not eat the same everyday and I eat organic. .Btw, the same Vitd3 wards off all major diseases including heart disease.

The hens are not getting enough oyster shell for them to get Osteoporosis and whatever they are giving them for the unnaturally high production ? probably is the main contributing factor. Hens depending on the breed can lay up to 3 eggs a day naturally.

The answer is simple to the hatcheries - don't buy from someone you detest their habits. I don't.
But, yes many of the hatcheries do kill off unwanted roosters which is sad but out in the wild there is nature to take care of such populace problems and in essence it could be viewed as doing that job. There needs to be a balance it is what life and nature is all about.

You can be angry at the f farms all you want it does not bother me and I agree with you they are bad but do not put real farms and people who go out of their way to ensure their pets safety and happiness in the same category as f farms you are likely to get a lot of people angry with you.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:05 am
Interesting!! TY

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:16 am
you all seem to be forgetting that not ALL eggs you get are UNfertalized, some are actual baby chicks, how are you to know.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:24 am
There are so many cruelty free alternatives to eggs that are so much more healthy you can use them to make an omlette, bake, or even FRY! It's no so hard to actually care!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:25 am
well said anne K

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 6:16 am
TY for the info.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 6:19 am
Thanks for the information.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 8:16 am
Thanks for the information and also for all the interesting comments!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 8:22 am
noted and thanks

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 9:49 am
Hi Meow,

Please tell me what NATURAL and ORGANIC alternatives there are to eggs that we can "make an omlette, bake, or even FRY" I've never heard of ANYTHING man-made that was better than nature.

I also don't understand why you are completely ignoring those on this thread who DON'T kill the male chicks, and even have to hunt for the eggs because of how natural a life the chickens have; why you insist that everyone in the entire world does exactly the same as what you've seen in your movies and documentaries. I don't understand the thinking that says "I saw it here, so it must apply to EVERYTHING or EVERYONE."

It's true that if you eat too many eggs, and don't even attempt to have a fully BALANCED diet and lifestyle, it's true that the protein to calcium ratio can become out of balance, as well as the cholesterol. But that can happen without eating eggs. Eggs themselves are the most balanced whole food in the world.

And the cholesterol scare was a scam. The tests were done by separating the cholesterol out of the egg and then injecting pure cholesterol into rabbits. Is that how ANYONE eats the cholesterol of an egg? No. We eat the whole balance egg as nature intended it to be eaten.

I am also thankful to Sue for looking to see that you actually do have pets. I assumed you didn’t because of how hard you fight to keep people from using animals for service. And your pets are not exempt.

I don’t want to fight with you, but I am at a loss as to how you can have your stance and still have captive animals, deliberately keeping them apart from others of their species. Aren’t you forcing them to live unnatural lives?

As Sue pointed out, nature takes care of excess animals when nature is not manipulated as horribly as we have done. You do know that humans are part of nature, right? Sure, humans have screwed things up, but that doesn’t mean we should never have touched nature in the first place. We are a part of the whole of nature, not a separate entity sent from another planet. How do you know that humans killing animals isn’t just as natural as non-humans killing animals? Wouldn’t that be called Human Nature?

And please friends, don’t mistake that statement as condoning the unnecessary killing of animals. I don’t know that there is or isn’t a necessity to kill animals on the primal human nature level. It’s just a thought.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 9:49 am
I'm a vegan and I'm so glad that you're sharing this information!

Also, please sign this petition demanding that BP pay for damages caused by the oil spill regardless of where the oil washes up onshore. Mexico and Cuba will feel the effects of this oil spill too!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/gulfnationaid

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:21 am
Quite a discussion, thanks Meowfoul. I did already know that you can't trust the "free range" or "humane" label on eggs, which is why I no longer buy them. I not however agree, that there cannot be such a thing as a "give and take" relationship with some domestic animals that is humane, and I do not think "eggs are cruel". Factory farming is beyond cruel, on that we absolutely agree.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:31 am
Deanna I know all those do not kill the male chikc, and I was not directing them, therefore not accusing them. I post comments that are not directed at anyone. we clearly think far differently than i thought. I don;t always have time to reply to everyone nor have the wish to do so.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:32 am
World's First Vegan Fried Egg

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 block firm tofu
vegan margarine
1 tablespoon carrot juice
1 tablespoon flax seed oil
1 tablespoon vegetable broth
1-1/2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
3/4 teaspoon vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:

1) Cut tofu into the shape of a fried egg, so that it is thin at the periphery and thick in the middle. Insert broad bladed knife horizontally through the tofu near the bottom. Where the yolk should be, use a shot class to cookie cut out a yolk hole all the way down to the blade. Remove blade.

2) Fry both sides in vegan margarine until golden brown. Set aside. Now make yolk.

3) In a microwaveable glass custard dish, mix together carrot juice flax seed oil, vegetable broth, arrowroot powder, and vegan mayonnaise. Heat in microwave 20 seconds. (The ideal end product will be a tad runny, not too globby. If too globby, either heat less or add less arrowroot.) It has a very nice yellow-orange yolk color.

4) Add yolk into browned yolk hole and re-fry top for 10-20 seconds. Salt and pepper as you like.

Source of recipe: I wrote this recipe.

Makes: 1 vegan fried egg sunny side up, Preparation time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 2 minutes

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:33 am
I can reccoment a producst to you al called "no egg" it is wonderful to bake with and has some reciepies on the back of the pack :)

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:33 am
instead of scrambled egg why not have.....


Scrambled tofu
Ever fancied a greasy fried breakfast? It can be done you know. Here's a very convincing vegan substitute for scrambed eggs. With the addition of a little turmeric, it even comes out the same colour. For more fried breakfast ingredients have a look at The Full Monty Vegan Fried Breakfast.

Ingredients
A lump of tofu
A little black pepper
A small pinch of turmeric
A small onion (optional)
Salt
Olive oil

Put the tofu in a bowl and smash it up (You can use your hands for this). Chop the onion very finely. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the onion for a few seconds before adding the crumbled tofu. Stir and fry until the tofu starts to become golden. Add the turmeric, black pepper and salt just before the end of cooking time.

If you don't like onion it can be left out or replaced with something else such as chopped mushrooms or green pepper.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:36 am
as for fighting with you deanna I have no desire to do so, people have different opinions and that's really what it can all come down to. I do work 7 days a week and sometimes have very little time for care2 and even less time to argue on it. I use it to chill out.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:05 am
Meow,
I don't see a discussion on differeing points of view as a fight. I wrote another post, but it didn't appear. I'll repost it if it doesn't after this, but I apologize for unjustly or unfairly upsetting you. I am truly puzzled by your use of the word "fight" regarding this VERY legitimate exchange of ideas.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:06 am
Well, my last submission didn't post, so here is a resubmission:

LOL That's fantastic Meow. I love that you presented the alternatives. Thanks. Unfortunately, I am allergic to soy (tofu) and rice, and I'd never use an egg substitute since it isn't natural. But there are plenty of people who, I am sure, will really appreciate your contributions for alternative. I know I appreciate them.

We really aren't so far apart. On occasional issues we might be, but overall, I think we see eye to eye far more often than not.

Since you make very forceful and demanding statements regarding all farms and all chicken handlers, how is anyone to even have an inkling that you are only talking about factory farms?

I doubt that anyone would disagree with you about the extreme cruelty of factory farming. But when comments are made regarding private family farms, and you come back saying that it’s all cruel, the only conclusion is that you are including the family farms.

I apologize if I’ve said anything that unjustly or unfairly upsets you. I do consider you to be one of my good friends here, and I don’t want to jeopardize that. At the same time, I still have to be true to myself. You have said some things that got me thinking beyond my box. I hope that what I say also gets you thinking beyond your box.

Sincere Cheers to you my Friend!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:14 am
I do indeed mean all frams not only factory farms for I do not fall for the humane myth my family has a farm, i live surronded by frams, I live in Irealdn and factory farm,ing is not so big here but I see just the same cruelty on "humane" farms as any factory farm. Deanna you did not upset me i the least I just do not have time to even debate at times, I used the word fight because you did...
"I don’t want to fight with you, but I am at a loss as to how you can have your stance and still have captive animals, deliberately keeping them apart from others of their species. Aren’t you forcing them to live unnatural lives? " that was what you wrote with the word fight, and that was what I was replying to. I hope many find the alternatives to eggs and what can be made of them useful.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 12:36 pm
I do not think the "milk industry" is acceptable, and cringe when I see people who think giving their cats cow's milk is a good thing. But I WANT to believe that there is a way to keep goats or cows as friends, and use their milk for cheese humanely. I have had trouble finding an answer on this. When I was in Ireland, I had this fantasy about going back there to live. I had this idea that I would have some goats, and that I would be able to HUMANELY use their milk to make cheese. Stupid pipe dream, but I do honestly want to know if taking milk from well treated animals can be humane. And just so you know Meowfoul, I don't kill ANYTHING except in self-defense, and have gone to work bedraggled from making sure a lizard was out from under my car, so this is a sincere question.
I do not agree with you on the egg issue. My mother grew up on a farm in Kentucy, and the chickens seemed happy and rather bratty/spoiled, in spite of sharing their eggs. An egg is not a baby chicken unless it is incubated. But this is an issue related to whether you think abortion is murder, and I don't want to go there really.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 2:15 pm
I buy my eggs from a local farmer. I have seen the way the chickens are raised, treated and fed and I'm good with it. There may be pros and cons to organic eggs, but this is what I choose to do and feel comfortable with.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 2:17 pm
Sue.. one of my dogs came to me because every time he got off the chain which he was on for 13 years he ran up the road and killed a chicken. They gave him to me. He became an indoor dog.. he never wanted to go outside.
I would love to be able to feed my dogs eggs, but only if they were gained by animals who had not suffered. On the farm as a kid I got a egg with a chicken in it.. must have been missed by the candler.. remember them?
Dogs need protein and eggs have lots.
I I get what Patricia means about chickens being bratty.. I have been chased by more than a few as a child.
I think I shall make a trip to the place up the road that sells eggs and see if their birds are happy birds or not.
I will check and see if they all have names,, thats a sure sign of well being..

I also understand what MeowFoul means that it is mostly deception because it mostly is... but there are those few who love birds and who build their lives around them. But here where I live they put free range eggs in plastic cartons.. so I would never buy from that bunch as they are too stupid for words and are probably lying..

It is so hard to make all the right choices.. mostly I just never think of it.. because my life is so changed now that I find the smell of milk to be sickening, when once it was my favorite drink. . But eggs for dogs.. better than dead animals.. which is so hard to keep doing. My dogs do eat rice, pasta, and veggies also but they are not vegans... yet...

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 3:31 pm
I don't like eggs, but my husband does so I buy them from the local egg farm 15 miuntes away from my town. For a flat its only $3.50 so, I'm helping a local company as well as save a few bucks. So if you buy eggs by as locally as you can.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 3:43 pm
Hehe Meow,
I guess I was a little more tired than I thought when I talked about not wanting to fight with you. I was hoping to difuse any frustration either of us might have been building due to our not seeing eye to eye. And what did I do? CAUSED more confusion. I think I'm also a little touchy about disagreeing with my friends, as 2 of them have removed their names from my friends list because they weren't able to be friends with people who disagree with them. But that was over issues of bigotry (which turned out to be ok with me that they left). So I REALLY didn't want that to happen over an issue of EGGS. giggle.

I love this thread. Cheers to all!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 4:15 pm
weirdd

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:52 pm
once when i cracked an egg and saw two yolks in it i was like, wth??

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 5:57 pm
I guess so much for trusting any thing you get in the grocery store! Thanks for all this information! I feel extremly sorry for the chickens who never see outside...and find I'm surprised that any of us are still alive, I guess we're all eating ourselves to death - even if we try to make the best choices of food! Thank you!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 6:01 pm
thanks

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 8:00 pm
Thanks , love my farm fresh eggs !!!

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 8:10 pm
Thanks for posting this Meowfoul. The egg and dairy industries are two of the most cruel in the world and literally enslave female animals and cruely destroy the males. The male chicks are ground up alive! The male calves are trapped in crates until they are tender enough to be be slaughtered All eggs free range or not are cruel unless the roosters are allowed to live thier lives. highly unlikely. i prefer egg substitues that can be purchased at whole foods and other vegan stores.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:49 pm
can any tell me the origin of egg?

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:50 pm
Meowfoul wrote " I do indeed mean all frams not only factory farms for I do not fall for the humane myth my family has a farm, i live surronded by frams, I live in Irealdn and factory farm,ing is not so big here but I see just the same cruelty on "humane" farms as any factory farm."

Your statements are so generalized that I doubt too many are even paying any attention. If you want people to listen to you then you should explain what you see and clarify exactly what you think makes them cruel.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 10:51 pm
noted thanks.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:00 pm
Origin of an egg? An ovary? Why?

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:21 pm
Sharon, That is sad about your dog. Both of mine were horribly abused.

Yes, I know about candling and one can be missed that is true especially in real farms with a rooster but again that is a fact of life. I am not going to stop eating eggs because of it.

I use the plastic egg cartons from neighbors and recycle them. There is nothing wrong with that and stops them from going in the dump.

There are more than a few who love birds, check out www.backyardchickens.com there are over 50,000 and counting who are on that site all devoted chicken lovers all willing to lend their experience, pics and support.

But here's the thing, in order for chickens to lay they need to be stress free, without disease and happy.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:21 pm
Sorry, that was meant for Patricia.

Tuesday July 6, 2010, 11:23 pm
Ooops. again sorry, I am tired tonight.

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 4:15 am
thanks

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 4:19 am
I have to say that walking by the egg section in the grocery store reminds me of the horrors of the place these things come from. Wish it was different.. and sometimes it is.. but not in the grocery store.. always the same there..torture torture torture.. never ends. That cutting off the beaks of baby chicks is most disturbing.

So it is good to know that these birds are also loved by many and well taken care of.. Myself.. I take care of some crows.. makes me very popular with the neighbours. They came in the winter years ago ..hungry and well its just still going on.

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 4:50 am
Thanks for the article.

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 6:34 am
backyardchickens.com supports the unnaturual system of incubation, eggs are suposed to hatch by their mother not in this disgusting manner.

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 6:46 am
No worries Deanna, I have no problem with people disagreeing with me,
I sometimes just can;t even be bothered reply to most of the comments, some are so lame and after all it is only care2 not the end of the world. we disagree on other stuff but that still didn;t prevent me from not accpeting your friend invite, so no probs. I just posted this for educational purposes not to have silly little arguments LOL!

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 1:24 pm
Noted

Wednesday July 7, 2010, 5:07 pm
MeowFoul, This would be hilarious if it were not for the fact that a growing number of activists on C2 feel the same way you do about most animal life and express their desires for extinction of the species.

Natural farms have been attacked for decades so that f farming can take their place. It is no co incidence they “just” happened. It was carefully planned this way and the more against natural farming and hobbyists only strengthens that purpose..

You are against f farming, against natural farming and homeowners who keep chickens and now you tell me you are against incubation. Incubation stops abortion, it guarantees life which since there is obviously something you are not saying leads me to believe that “abortion” is the real issue with you.

People cannot have x amount of chickens and not have to “cull” at some point or another they need to keep their flocks balanced and affordable. If the farmer does not do it, nature will do it and the chickens will revert to cannibalism. Again it is nature. If people are willing to take on fertilized eggs and raise it sure beats the alternative - eaten or death.
Schools do it for educational purposes only and send the birds back to the company. It is one of those things were people need to be educated so they learn to take care of and respect animals and not harm them later in life. It saves a lot of animals harm and unneeded death. Hens leave the nest when there are too many birds and not enough food to eat anyway and some just don‘t brood (sit on eggs) well or at all.

I think you are either really young and have not thought things through, have lost all perspective or you side with Monsanto who want to control ALL food sources and nature.

Take away all farms and ownership and put them out in the fake wild and they all die. End of story.


Btw, I am asking questions not having silly little arguments. Your viewpoint is disturbing and your lack of communication and replies on a via just makes me wonder what your agenda is. If you want to win or be an opinion leader against f farming or any fight you have to keep it clean, give correct data and show you are educated in that area and not giving false, misleading or opinionated data. If there are crimes, they will be there. Otherwise you set yourself up to lose, just look the fool and end off having people not trusting you and refusing to sign much needed petitions in the future.

Friday July 9, 2010, 4:53 am
I'm glad I can keep ducks & chooks in my own backyard. I know there are no artificial substances in them and they get to roam free in their 70 square metre pen.

Friday July 9, 2010, 3:17 pm
Thanks for sharing the info! I've always been a big lover of eggs, but choosing the right ones has always been a pain in the ass :)

Friday July 9, 2010, 3:21 pm
Just to clarify since several people seem confused: The eggs you buy in cartons are NOT going to have any sort of baby chicken fetus or embryo in them because they have NOT been fertilized by a rooster. That said, it is obviously a good idea to avoid buying eggs from chickens that are raised in factory farms or fed antibiotics-laced corn, among other things, and I obviously think the labels should be clearer and more regulated so that if I buy eggs that claim to be cage-free, organic, and antibiotic free they actually ARE all those things.

Friday July 9, 2010, 5:30 pm
I'm sure i submitted a post yesterday that announced that Arnold Schwartzenagger signed a companion bill into law yesterday. I wonder what happend to it.

Anyway, in 2008, CA voted overwhelmingly to approve an animal rights proposal (Proposition 2) that requires that all farm animals have enough room to stand, turn around, lay down, give birth, stretch, and spread wings all without having to touch another animal or the edges of their pens.

Yesterday, a new bill was signed into law that requires that ALL eggs sold in CA must come from farms that give their chickens the same or better conditions that CA requires for their own chickens. Hooray!

Friday July 9, 2010, 9:24 pm
That is excellent news Deanna, thanks for posting.

It will not necessarily get rid of f farming but they will certainly have to give the chooks more space. Have a feeling they will not like this at all and would mean giving up at leas 3-4 spaces per chicken for them to be able to do that. Perhaps it just may not be economical for them and realize they can get the same results from normal farming.

Petaluma in Northern Cal used to be the egg capital in real chicken farms now they have just a few backyard folks. Would love to see that area come back.

Friday July 9, 2010, 10:15 pm
I can tell you that millions and MILLIONS of Californians were educated about the conditions of farm animals and the many benefits of allowing them to roam free. The voters were overwhelmingly in favor of allowing animals to live in much more humane conditions.

The opposition fought hard tho, so I think we got as much as we could at that point in time (I lived in CA back then). Baby steps are easier to accept.

Cheers for every step taken to improve life for all creatures, great and small!

Friday July 9, 2010, 10:24 pm
I do remember Deanna and was one who voted for it. It takes a minute to do damage but somehow it can takes years to undo it all. A decision is all it takes on each side of the coin but I take this as a win!

Saturday July 10, 2010, 8:14 am
WOW People certainly get on the bandwagon when it comes to eggs. After living for 20 years in Colorado and raising chickens (Araconas- Green Eggs) for their eggs, I got quite spoiled. They (the chickens) ran around all day eating anything they could find. result: the best darn eggs I have ever eaten. Some would say "they are too RICH". They would say that because the egg yolks were deep orange and the taste is eggy. These were people who (God love them) have gotten used to the horrible washed out flavor of store bought. I sold some of my eggs and simply broke the extras. I happen to know that store bought eggs are about two weeks old when waiting to be bought. That alone makes me nervous. I now live in S. E. FL and the closest egg I've found to my eggs are Land 'o Lakes. But, now I do not eat nearly the eggs I did when I had my own chickens. I agree that to go to the farmer, see how he/she handles the chickens, what they eat and how long the eggs lay there waiting to be sold, is always important. The right eggs are vital to your good health, full of protein, Omega 3 and all the other fine nutrients. However I am also into taste, you cannot beat a GOOD egg!

Saturday July 10, 2010, 1:40 pm
Sue, I definitely take this signed bill as a win. Some day, people are going to be appalled at how far away from nature we went. I always think of the use of new things as being on a pendulum. It, by nature, has to swing from one side to the equal level on the other side before we have a chance to find the happy medium.

We started out in complete nature and have gone to almost complete technology. I hope I'm still alive when we start to see what the happy medium looks like.

That's great Susan. I'm sorry you aren't able to have free-roaming chickens where you are now. Can you tell us what happened to the male chicks that hatched in Colorado? Did they get killed? I think about getting chickens here on my 2/3 acre lot (with lots of kudzu and other bug-bearing plants), but we also have a lot of large hawks. I got close-up pictures last year of a hawk eating it's rabbit next door. The rabbit wasn't a pet, but it convinced me that small pets are not a good idea here.

Hehe, even if I were to supervise a small pet outside, I'll bet a hawk is a lot quicker than I am at getting to the pet. I'd have to keep the chickens in a covered coop, and I don't want to do that.

Saturday July 10, 2010, 5:55 pm
Yeah, it is all about balance Deanna, I sometimes wonder what an alien looking down on this planet may think and be glad that we are as far away as possible from them. lol!

You don't lock up 'em in a coop that is only for night time but attach a run. I have chicken hawks here but have lots of shade trees so one they don't see them and two makes it harder for them to swoop down when I do let them out of the run. I am sure they would love the Kudzu and totally destroy it for you.

Knoxville City Council approves urban chickens, kudzu-eating goats, and new Kroger
http://origin.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124352&odyssey=mod_mostread

Monday July 12, 2010, 11:52 am
Thanks MeowFoul. Important new things to think about.

Saturday July 17, 2010, 4:17 am
noted....veganism is he answer...

Saturday July 17, 2010, 4:20 am
the, not he

Saturday July 17, 2010, 8:11 am
Sue, If a hawk can swoop down and catch a bunny rabbit, I'm guessing they can do the same to chickens. But I wasn't aware that chickens would get rid of the kudzu. I just thought they ate bugs. I know nothing about keeping them, can you tell?

It's great that Knoxville has approved goats for kudzu control. That should make everyone happy, including the goats.

Monday May 23, 2011, 9:54 am
how can you have an "unfertilized fetus" you can't.
go back to Bio 101. humans lay eggs to. wasn't that the ovarian operating system re-boot of a period?
pet cockitel hens will lay blank eggs,

I thought a fetus was a developing baby.

you could also call fruit "undeveloped plant fetuses"