If you care about animal welfare, you may be inclined to choose cage-free eggs. Eggs carrying this label may come with a higher price tag but may not ensure a higher-quality product. Understanding the definition of "cage-free" and the impact on the animal who laid the eggs can help you decide if it is a purchase you want to make.
Typical Hen Conditions
Commercial egg producers typically house chickens in wire cages lined in rows across warehouses. These hens may not have access to the outdoors, or even sunlight. The cages can be cramped, without much room for the bird to move or flap its wings. Egg-laying hens often have their beaks cut to prevent excessive pecking and are forced to starve to promote molting, processes that animal rights advocates deem cruel.
Cage-Free
Cage-free eggs come from hens who are not penned in the cramped wire cages. "Cage-free" does not mean the birds can go outside freely, however. Natural behavior, such as walking, flapping wings and nesting may occur -- unlike when they are confined to cages -- but the hens may be jam-packed together in the warehouses. The process of beak cutting still occurs with cage-free hens. No one audits cage-free egg producers to be sure they adhere to these guidelines, either.
Other Labels
"Certified organic" eggs come from chickens who have been given organic feed and have not been injected with antibiotics. The labeling means the hens had access to the outdoors, but the duration and quality of such access is unclear. "Free-range" or "free-roaming" are not an official Food and Drug Administration label, but this typically means the hens were not caged and has some access to the outdoors. "Certified humane" eggs come from chickens who are cage-free but not allowed outdoors. Do not confuse "certified humane" with "American Humane Certified," which means the hens may be confined to a tiny cage.
Considerations
You may not be able to taste a difference between cage-free and conventional eggs. Some consumers feel that organic, free-range eggs are of better quality. If the life of the bird that lays your eggs is important to you, you might seek out animal-welfare-approved producers -- but none sell to supermarkets. These birds live freely and perch outdoors. Natural molting is permitted and no beak cutting occurs.
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