Comments on: There’s No Free (Range) Lunch http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/ Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:56:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lane http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1159 Lane Sun, 18 May 2008 05:30:26 +0000 http://veganbits.com/?p=258#comment-1159 Hi Gary, Thanks for the information on egg production. I had not read that the birds have been genetically modified to produce more eggs, but that makes sense. Look what they've done to cows! I was just reading the birds raised to be "broilers" have been genetically modified to the point where a significant number of them suffer from broken legs because they can't support their own body weight any longer. What have we done? Hi Gary,
Thanks for the information on egg production. I had not read that the birds have been genetically modified to produce more eggs, but that makes sense. Look what they’ve done to cows! I was just reading the birds raised to be “broilers” have been genetically modified to the point where a significant number of them suffer from broken legs because they can’t support their own body weight any longer.
What have we done?

]]> By: Gary http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1156 Gary Sat, 17 May 2008 23:14:17 +0000 http://veganbits.com/?p=258#comment-1156 In addition to the cruelties and injustices of "free range" egg production that you listed, I would add this: Modern laying hens have been bred to lay to 10 times the amount of eggs laid by their wild ancestors. Their bodies get no rest. Forgive the indelicate analogy but it's like forcing a woman - without her knowledge or consent - to have a period every three days. Producing an egg requires resources and energy from the hen's body. The enormously high egg production volume that humans have forced upon modern hens robs the hens of calcium and other nutrients. Many develop weak bones and other health problems as a result. It is virtually impossible to have truly humane eggs. In the wild, jungle fowl (from which today's hens originate) lay one, maybe two clutches of eggs in the spring and that's it. Enough to propogate the species. Then they give their bodies a long rest. It's time to re-think the whole concept of manipulating and breeding certain species of birds so we can eat their eggs. In addition to the cruelties and injustices of “free range” egg production that you listed, I would add this: Modern laying hens have been bred to lay to 10 times the amount of eggs laid by their wild ancestors. Their bodies get no rest. Forgive the indelicate analogy but it’s like forcing a woman – without her knowledge or consent – to have a period every three days.

Producing an egg requires resources and energy from the hen’s body. The enormously high egg production volume that humans have forced upon modern hens robs the hens of calcium and other nutrients. Many develop weak bones and other health problems as a result.

It is virtually impossible to have truly humane eggs. In the wild, jungle fowl (from which today’s hens originate) lay one, maybe two clutches of eggs in the spring and that’s it. Enough to propogate the species. Then they give their bodies a long rest.

It’s time to re-think the whole concept of manipulating and breeding certain species of birds so we can eat their eggs.

]]> By: Lane http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1109 Lane Wed, 14 May 2008 03:48:21 +0000 http://veganbits.com/?p=258#comment-1109 Hi Chrissy, Agreed. And this is terribly sad. And now that these practices are commonplace in the industry, I'm sure there's no thought to whether they're ethical or not. I'm also fairly certain that there is no economic incentive to make this better. Hi Autumn, Jane's grandparents had a farm too and one of her earliest memories is of visiting them and collecting the eggs for breakfast. Of course, now that we're vegan... no eggs. But that was a far cry from how most people get their eggs today. Hi Chrissy,
Agreed. And this is terribly sad. And now that these practices are commonplace in the industry, I’m sure there’s no thought to whether they’re ethical or not. I’m also fairly certain that there is no economic incentive to make this better.

Hi Autumn,
Jane’s grandparents had a farm too and one of her earliest memories is of visiting them and collecting the eggs for breakfast. Of course, now that we’re vegan… no eggs. But that was a far cry from how most people get their eggs today.

]]> By: Autumn http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1107 Autumn Tue, 13 May 2008 19:16:34 +0000 http://veganbits.com/?p=258#comment-1107 If you want eggs raise your own chickens. They make lovely pets and are very smart animals. My grandfather always had a few little chickens in his yard. He always let the little hens keep some eggs and have chicks too. He said they needed to care for young to be happy. I guess I would be mad if someone took my babies too! But for me, I would just let them keep all of their eggies. If you want eggs raise your own chickens. They make lovely pets and are very smart animals. My grandfather always had a few little chickens in his yard. He always let the little hens keep some eggs and have chicks too. He said they needed to care for young to be happy. I guess I would be mad if someone took my babies too! But for me, I would just let them keep all of their eggies.

]]> By: Chrissy http://veganbits.com/vegan-food-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1106 Chrissy Tue, 13 May 2008 18:05:34 +0000 http://veganbits.com/?p=258#comment-1106 How disgusting - they obviously know how wrong what they do is or they wouldn't mislabel their products. I just don't understand who could have started this practice and not been overwhelmed with guilt. :( Sad. How disgusting – they obviously know how wrong what they do is or they wouldn’t mislabel their products. I just don’t understand who could have started this practice and not been overwhelmed with guilt. :( Sad.

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