My chickens are getting ever closer to laying. When I went to get my oldest from a friends house I saw a couple of signs that said "Free Range Eggs". So, I got to wondering, what exactly are Free Range Eggs. I don't keep my chickens in cages, but I do have a fenced run for them. Unfortunately they keep it bare of weeds. Or maybe that fortunate, I don't know. Anyway, Does that qualify?
Turns out it does. According to the USDA, the only requirement to qualify for Free Range is that the chickens have access to the outside. There are stories that some people have qualified with as little as having an open window in their coop where they keep the chickens caged. I always thought of Free Range as having access to open pasture. Unfortunately I can't do that. My baby girl (a pit boxer mix names Jasmine, Jazzy for short.) would snap them up as Jazzy Snacks. There are other neighborhood dogs that would go to town on them too.
So the question comes down to this. Technically I qualify as a Free Range egg person, but do I really feel right in calling them that since they are in a fenced in yard? I haven't come to a decision. I would love to have your input. What do you think I should do?
Click to join nikkischickens
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment