The Price of Eggs

by Marion Robison

Growing up with chickens, and having spent many hours in the chicken house, I know for a fact that they are highly social animals; the rooster leading the flock, the hens extremely protective of their fertilized eggs and chicks. They have likes and dislikes. Just like other animals, they can be temperamental, bossy, easy going, laid back. Their favorite past times are sun bathing and hunting for seeds.

When I moved away from home, and bought my own eggs at the store I envisioned happy hens living on a farm, with plenty of room to roam, leisurely laying in the sun, or looking for seeds on the ground.

Unfortunately that is far from the truth. According to my research there is no proof of any happy chicken life in commerical production--in fact, the opposite is a sad reality. Egg-laying chicken have been genetically selected exclusively for maximum egg production.

I remember watching a documentary from made thirty years ago in China that still sticks in my mind. It started at a hatchery. It showed that shortly after the chicks were born, they were placed onto a conveyor belt. A person was sitting at the end of the belt determining the sex of the chicks. The females were placed on another conveyor belt for shipment to egg farms, while the males went down a belt landing in a huge trash can. They were mangled and slowly suffocated by the weight of the other chicks, some of them thrown out still alive. I was shocked, outraged, and saddened when I found out that the same practice is done in the US today, thirty years later!

If it could not get any worse, female chicks even get their beaks cut off with a hot blade. Most people have not even heard of such a thing. No pain medication is given. The reason for debeaking is to prevent the from pecking at each other out of frustration. They spend their entire lives cramped in tiny wire cages, unable to sit, lie down, or even stretch their wings. Except for food and water, there is no care for the hens, because it is not profitable to the egg farmers. The hens will never be able to walk freely, see the sunlight, or follow their natural instincts in any way. Infections, broken bones and wings, and illnesses are all ignored. Some get trapped in the wire of their cages, dying slowly without access to food or water. Those poor animals are suffering their whole life, from beginning to end. Shocking!

Hens lay eggs in cycles. To speed up another egg-laying cycle, hens are being starved for up to two weeks. The stress of starvation will result in another egg-laying cycle. Over ninety-five percent of US eggs come from such farms. When egg production declines they are shipped off to a slaughterhouse or thrown out still alive in a dumpster. Think about the last time that you have seen living conditions of chicken, if ever.

Would people still buy eggs if they knew about the extremely cruel living conditions of the hens? It is a well-kept secret!

I can't help but wonder how and why humans allow and accept such cruelty?
I can't help but wonder how can any product of severely tortured animals be healthy and nurturing to our bodies?
I can't help but wonder, knowing the facts and not helping those animals, what that will do to our souls?
In more way than one are we all paying for the price of eggs.

Fortunately groups like CAA and many others are shedding light on this dark world of egg farming.

Marion Robison is the author of Poly Pig and Sweetie Find a Home a story about guinea pigs for kids. See her website at www.bellarobi.com.

Egg-Free Options

Do you want to help end these cruel practices? Read on below to find out how to substitute eggs!

To replace 1 egg for a binder you can use:

• 1 Tbsp soy flour + 1 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp flour + 1/2 Tbsp vegetable shortening + 1/2 tsp baking powder + 2 tsp water
• 1/2 of a banana
• 2 oz (or 1/4 C) tofu blended with the liquid ingredients of the recipe
• Ener-G Egg Replacer (instructions are on the box)

To replace eggs in egg salad, scrambled eggs, omelets, etc., the best substitute is tofu:

• Extra firm tofu, crumbled, and mixed with Vegenaise (or an egg-free mayonnaise), salt, pepper and turmeric makes a great egg salad.
• Extra firm tofu can also be scrambled like eggs. Add a bit of oil to a skillet and cook the crumbled tofu until slightly golden.

Another area eggs are used is as a binding agent in casseroles and such:

• Cooked oatmeal or rice can be mixed with any egg replacer (such as the ones stated in the previous list) to hold together burgers or 'meat' loafs.
• Mashed potatoes or instant potato flakes (check for vegan varieties) also make a good replacement.
• Always use egg replacement equal to the number of eggs the recipe calls for, but you can also add tomato paste, whole wheat flour or cornstarch for additional binding.
• Bread or cracker crumbs finely ground will also add substance.

Check out the the longer version of this guide.