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Cage-free

"Cage-free" has no legal meaning but many egg farmers use it to distinguish their egg farming system from the more confined, and inhumane battery-age system. In battery-cages, the birds live crowded together as closely as possible. They can not flap their wings and have no room to so much as turn around. They lay their eggs where they stand. Most cage-free hens live in very large flocks and never go outside, but they have space to walk around, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in nests.

Cage-free does not mean cruelty free. Most cage-free farmers de-beak their hens and slaughter them before they are two years old. The chicks come from farming operations which kill millions of male chicks at birth. That said, cage-free egg production is a step in the right direction for the industry because cage-free hens are much better off than battery-cage hens.

Demand for cage-free eggs far out-paces supply. Among high profile wholesale consumers are Ben & Jerry's, Whole Foods, and Wolfgang Puck. It's been claimed that 2/3 of the cage-free eggs produced in the US are produced by American Humane Society certified operations.

Cage-free operations are not to be confused with "free range" and "free roaming" chickens. Cage-free chickens don't usually get outdoors, and generally live in crowded conditions. The difference in egg quality between battery-cage and cage-free is debatable, whereas the difference between organic or free-range eggs and cage-free is remarkable.

Latest Tweets about this glossary term:

  • flickingthevs - RT @eatconsciously: FUCK your local, humane, cage-free, family-operated, organic, grass-fed, vegetarian, free-range animal enslavement bullshit!
  • Nixoncryo - Local Sichuan Restaurant Group adopts cage free egg policy http://cli.gs/vhbdM
  • techwhack - TW: Local Sichuan Restaurant Group Adopts Cage Free Egg Policy http://goo.gl/fb/ATpM
  • Adristar - @xveganxwangx Only one way to be sure chicken eggs are cage free & roam freely...get your own chickens. Or know a good farmer!
  • materialitems - Dallas- rabbit and cage - free (Trophy Club): Must pick up today - Wednesday. 817-837-1515 http://bit.ly/8Yxmvb
  • eatconsciously - FUCK your local, humane, cage-free, family-operated, organic, grass-fed, vegetarian, free-range animal enslavement bullshit!
  • troptraditions - Organic Pastured Chicken raised cage-free, free-range and #soyfree on small family farms practicing sustainable #ag. http://bit.ly/alyQP6
  • spudPortland - Seriously cheap cage free eggs from Stiebrs Farms, $1.80! Get them delivered like in the olden days!! http://ow.ly/1ny0r
  • alexis_james - already cut out beef, non-cage-free poultry, non-local produce & milk. now i'll only buy cheese from the farmer's market, thanks to 30 Days
  • clintyghost - Cage-Free eggs should be the norm. There's no reason I should have to pay almost $5 a dozen to ensure chickens are treated more humanely.

Cage-free News

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Avatar Anonymous (6:35 AM on Thu Mar 18, 2010)

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Wednesday, 03/17/2010

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