Are your free range eggs safe?

[Patt]

Interesting article!

http://www.theatlantic.com/food/arch...of-2010/63347/

[plowjockey]

To be fair to the large producers, egg hens have been raised in huge battery cages, in probably worse conditions (than today), for 60 years. Why, all of the sudden is salmonella a problem?

For us small producers, we don't know. We scrub little bits of manure, off of perfectly good eggs and move one. Refrigerate them and any bacteria will not readily reproduce and spread. If we purchase feed, we are not really sure of the quality. We are all taking a chance that our eggs could make someone sick.

Whether from a mega egg factory or our barn, proper handling and thourough cooking, is the key to a safe egg.

[Bearfootfarm]

Whether from a mega egg factory or our barn, proper handling and thourough cooking, is the key to a safe egg

Exactly .
Some live under the delusion a chickens butt is cleaner on a small farm than on a bigger farm

[Patt]

How many of us here have backyard flocks? I thought they might find this interesting since I did. If you don't there are plenty of other threads! By the way I won't respond if you don't bother to read the article and want to discuss what it said.

[springvalley]

Plowjockey, I don`t think there were many mega-egg farms sixty years ago. Most farmers wives took care of a flock of hens on the old farmstead years ago 1-200 hundred head mostly, maybe less. They washed and packed them and headed to town once a week with them. My own chickens run around picking through the cow poop, and I have no problem eating eggs from them. I think maybe the chickens at the Mega-farms may have more problems because of stress, put any animal under stress they will get sick and not produce well. I`ll take my farm raised eggs anyday. > Thanks Marc

[Lazy J]

An opinion piece with an anti-Agriculture slant, what is there to discuss. The only fact presented was that he had his own eggs tested.

Based on the typical trajectory of topics opened by the OP, the objective of this thread is to once again start a Small Good, Big Bad argument.

[JuliaAnn]

Yeah, I've seen my birds eat some pretty disgusting stuff, but then.... they're chickens, it's what they do. I wash my eggs in soap and water and a bit of bleach, I put them in the refrigerator, I cook them completely. Been doing that for 30 years, no big deal.

[haypoint]

Interesting article, Patt.
Interesting that by having the author's eggs tested, he can jump to the conclusion that anyone else's eggs would be safe. For that matter, his eggs might have tested possitive last week and/or next week. That's th way that is.

What's different is that those huge operations do regular testing, home flocks don't.

Keeping an open mind would help, too. Interesting that the chosen "Expert" just happens to have his own backyard flock and is willing to make some assumptions.

Those two facilities operated differently from the industry standard. All the facilities I've seen are sealed up, no one gets except employees with fresh coveralls on. Those places had doors held wide open with manure.

So, the USDA discovered contaminated eggs at two places. Some folks seem to think all large facilities should be closed because of this. Fine. But are you ready to give up your flock when a couple homesteaders unknowingly sell contaminated eggs at the Farmers Market?

I think that years ago, when people got sick after eating raw hamburger or gulping down a raw egg, we blamed the consumer, not the farmer.

Also, farm folk built up a better resistance to the bacteria in our environment. Now days, there are plenty of folks that lack that resistance.

It is standard operating procedure at huge egg producing facilities to kill and replace all the hens when tests show that salmonella is in some of the eggs.

It is standard operating procedure on some small back yard flocks to assume that since we are imagining smiles of contentment on each hen, there is no need to test and every egg that rolls out their backside is magicly pure.

"Come on Lassie, let's go down to the fishing hole while Maw takes her egg money down to the store to get a bag of oranges that came all the way from Califoriniea."

[springvalley]

My biggest problem with Big vs. Small is animal comfort, most of you know darn well three or four chickens in a cage the size of a milk crate anin`t my idea of a fun time. Most of the amish around these parts at least have cage free, but they are still confined, not so bad. I may be just and old farm romantic, my chickens run the farm, my cows go to pasture everyday, and my horses don`t work near as much as they should. All is happy at Spring Valley, and yes country folks have built up resistance, good for us, we shall inherit the Earth. > Thanks Marc

[Patt]

The OP says: Are your free range eggs safe. I never said anything about anybody else's eggs, you guys brought up the mega farms not me. This guy was asked if he knew if his little backyard flock's eggs had salmonella or not and so he checked. I found it interesting. I'd like to know how to check mine and see if they are as safe as I think they are. I was glad to see his tested clean.

[haypoint]

Originally Posted by Lazy J

An opinion piece with an anti-Agriculture slant, what is there to discuss. The only fact presented was that he had his own eggs tested.

Based on the typical trajectory of topics opened by the OP, the objective of this thread is to once again start a Small Good, Big Bad argument.

Darn it, Lazy J. You are just like that mean 5th grader that told me there isn't really a Santa. He spoiled my fanticy. I want to believe that people don't post this stuff just to pick a fight. I want to believe that they do not know and are simply trying to find the truth. I want to believe those so called experts didn't intend to mislead, just what was written wasn't stated clearly. I want to believe that a relentless outpouring of facts will eventually shine a light of truth on those that persist in misleading those that don't know any better.

[springvalley]

I guess you could eat a raw one and see if you get sick, JUST KIDDIN !! Health Dept. maybe could check, but what you going to do if they show up positive. > Marc

[Patt]

Originally Posted by springvalley

I guess you could eat a raw one and see if you get sick, JUST KIDDIN !! Health Dept. maybe could check, but what you going to do if they show up positive. > Marc

I have actually in French silk pie and I have never gotten sick. I assumed there is some sort of a lab you can send them off to though, wish he would have said in the article!

[haypoint]

Originally Posted by Patt

The OP says: Are your free range eggs safe. I never said anything about anybody else's eggs, you guys brought up the mega farms not me. This guy was asked if he knew if his little backyard flock's eggs had salmonella or not and so he checked. I found it interesting. I'd like to know how to check mine and see if they are as safe as I think they are. I was glad to see his tested clean.

You are correct, you asked if our free range eggs were safe. But the web site article you included did get into that big factory farm vs backyard flock debate. So, when you add, "By the way I won't respond if you don't bother to read the article and want to discuss what it said.", it becomes clear this is the stuff you are reading and what you want to discuss. So, when someone says that this is another Big Farm Bad, Small Good, they are responding exactly to your post and what you wanted to discuss.

I don't post because I want to pick on you or have negative feeling towards small farms. There was a time when I held your beliefs. I've learned that things often are not how we want to believe they are.

Wouldn't it be great if Avian Influenza attacked mostly Factory Farms with over 100,000 birds and left the back yard flocks alone? But, in all the countries that had AI deathes, it came both along trade routes and in back yard flocks.

[springvalley]

I often wonder why some people that are on HT, are on here. they never have a good thing to say about the back yard farmer or homesteader. Everything needs to be raised in confinment and under government testing and regulation. Heaven knows everything that comes from the super market is 100% safe for us and we should never question where it comes from or who grew it. After all if the USDA is keeping an eye on things it will all be ok. Sorry for the rant. >Thanks Marc

[Patt]

Originally Posted by haypoint

You are correct, you asked if our free range eggs were safe. But the web site article you included did get into that big factory farm vs backyard flock debate. So, when you add, "By the way I won't respond if you don't bother to read the article and want to discuss what it said.", it becomes clear this is the stuff you are reading and what you want to discuss. So, when someone says that this is another Big Farm Bad, Small Good, they are responding exactly to your post and what you wanted to discuss.

I don't post because I want to pick on you or have negative feeling towards small farms. There was a time when I held your beliefs. I've learned that things often are not how we want to believe they are.

Wouldn't it be great if Avian Influenza attacked mostly Factory Farms with over 100,000 birds and left the back yard flocks alone? But, in all the countries that had AI deathes, it came both along trade routes and in back yard flocks.

It's obvious that you have no desire whatsoever to actually discuss what I have repeatedly said is the topic. I was attacked right off the bat as trolling and I responded then and in every post since that I have no interest in the big/little farm debate. I am interested in my own personal eggs. You don't actually read what I say anymore do you? Just assume if I posted it it must be an attack on you. Sigh.....

[springvalley]

Patt, I was not talking about U, another party. > Marc

[poppy]

Originally Posted by springvalley

I often wonder why some people that are on HT, are on here. they never have a good thing to say about the back yard farmer or homesteader. Everything needs to be raised in confinment and under government testing and regulation. Heaven knows everything that comes from the super market is 100% safe for us and we should never question where it comes from or who grew it. After all if the USDA is keeping an eye on things it will all be ok. Sorry for the rant. >Thanks Marc

No one said anything against homesteaders or small producers. I raise chickens myself and I am aware my eggs are as likely to contain Salmonella as mega-farm eggs. Free range eggs are even more likely to have if you have any number of wild animals around because many wild animals carry Salmonella.

[Patt]

Originally Posted by springvalley

Patt, I was not talking about U, another party. > Marc

I know, I was responding to Haypoint and should have quoted him.

[springvalley]

Sure they did poppy you have to read carefully, I`m not naming names. > Marc