Are Homegrown Chicken Eggs Better For You?

Are Homegrown Chicken Eggs Better For You?

It's now been well documented that homegrown chicken eggs are better for you, when they come from hens allowed to free range on grass and in open areas, instead of being confined to a chicken house or cage. According to lab tests in a study conducted by Mother Earth News, the naturally-raised chicken eggs were far more nutritious than those from their caged counterparts.

As it turns out, grass-fed chickens lay eggs that are:

• Lower in cholesterol
• Lower in saturated fat content
• Higher in vitamins A and E
• Much higher in beta carotene
• Better sources of omega-3 fatty acids

By testing six eggs from each of 14 free range flocks across the country, they found that on average, the eggs from chickens allowed daily access to pasture contained seven times more beta carotene, three times as much vitamin E, twice as much omega-3 fatty acids, 2/3 more vitamin A, 1/4 less saturated fat and 1/3 less cholesterol than typical battery-cage laying operations.

What an amazing difference, and a testimony to the benefits of allowing laying hens to eat their natural diet and have time in the outdoors with plenty of grass and sunshine. Free range hens eat bugs, worms, wild vegetation and seeds, as well as laying mash or grain provided by the farmer. Hens confined in commercial egg operations, on the contrary, eat only the laying mash provided to them.

My own backyard flock constantly amazes me by how far the hens and rooster wander during the day, always returning at night to the safety of their coop. The hens also come back to lay their eggs during the day. But in between, they wander through the woods, scratching under the wet leaves for larvae and bugs, meander through the yard pecking at fresh grass and bugs, and look for natural food sources all over our property (and sometimes the neighbors'!)

Sunshine, experienced by pastured hens but not their caged counterparts, provides health benefits and helps protect from disease. Free range hens are not crowded in close quarters and are typically much healthier, with salmonella being practically unheard of in small, free range flocks.

While large egg companies and distributors would have you believe than an egg is an egg, you can see and taste the difference for yourself. Obtain eggs from a local free-range farmer or family with a backyard flock, and a carton from a large company at the grocery store (even one misleadingly labeled "cage free"). Crack one of each in separate glass bowls and compare the colors of the yolks and the firmness (or runny-ness) of the whites. The difference is often quite dramatic -- even before you fry them up and do a taste test.