Thankyou all for helping me take a stand.

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 04 Jan 2009, 18:55

Following on from many discussions, and much reading on here, I took a stand int he supermarket last night. owen put a tray of 15 eggs in the trolley and there, plain as day, was "FROM CAGED HENS" written across it in big letters. I took them out, told him I was NOT buying them and to get free range. He refused on the grounds that for the same price we could only get 6 free range. I told him I didnt care, and that if it was a problem I'd buy them from my own wages. So I took the free range eggs to customer services and paid for them seperately. )c(

I feel like I won a little victory - and couldn't wait to tell you all LOL
I also went and looked at the chicken, and as we could not afford a free ranger yesterday I did not buy any

There were loads of packs of sausage meat in reduced to clear for 32p each, so I got 6 of those to make lots of meatballs and the like instead.
Thankyou all very much for challenging me, and for educating me, and for being here so I felt like I had someone behind me when I took my little stand.

Post by **Mad Chick** » 04 Jan 2009, 18:58

You go girl )c(

Lucy xx

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:10

That's great Babycakes, I know it's hard if you have a tight budget for food, but no one on here should be buying eggs from caged hens. It's better to buy a few free range and have them as a treat. I get mine from a small holding just down the road for Â£1.20, and I take my own box. Is there somewhere like that near you? Or along the road when you go to and from work, they might have a board up outside.

Ilona

Evie · Post by **Evie** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:19

Thats great Babycakes

juicylucy · Post by **juicylucy** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:21

Very well done you )t'

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 04 Jan 2009, 19:42

It stopped me literally dead in my tracks. I couldnt belive it was there in huge letters for all to see - "FROM CAGED HENS" - and people were still buying them!! I just could not do it.
Fullily enough Ilona, I saw a farm on the way to the graveyard on christmas day (to put the holly on my grandparent's grave, I dont just randomly hang around in graveyards!!) that had a "free range eggs" sign on the gate, but it's not a road I use regularly so keep forgetting to go investigate. I was slightly disappointed to find there were no free range eggs in cardboard boxes - they were in plastic egg boxes so had tyo go in the bin, the recycling men wont take them

Nellie · Post by **Nellie** » 04 Jan 2009, 20:21

Babycakes wrote: I was slightly disappointed to find there were no free range eggs in cardboard boxes - they were in plastic egg boxes so had tyo go in the bin, the recycling men wont take them

The problem, as I understand it, is getting sufficient egg boxes when you are selling eggs from the gate. So therefore, you may be helping the egg-seller by bringing your own boxes, or indeed 'recycling' your boxes by leaving them there, even if you are not buying eggs.

There's a small-holding not far away which sells eggs, and asks for the boxes back if possible - I asked around for egg boxes at work, and then drop off a load every few months. I know I'm helping, and it's a great way to recycle!

Post by **wendy** » 04 Jan 2009, 20:45

Way to go girl. Well done you. Drip, drip, drip.
Good girl
Wendy

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 04 Jan 2009, 21:11

Our local greengrocer sells proper free range eggs for 95p half dozen, everyone takes their boxes in and they usually have a stack of random boxes. Before my hens were in full lay these were the only eggs I bought, and one time I picked up a box and it was from caged hens (son of Morris). I asked why someone who bought their eggs from the greengrocer would also buy these caged hen eggs - he said that some people just cannot afford free range so buy the caged ones and when they come and buy their veg they give him the boxes. But at only Â£1.90 a dozen compared to Â£2.90 in the big supermarkets his are quite a bargain!

Maybe you have a similar shop near you? Its probably a bit dearer than buying from the farm but def cheaper than the supermarket.

We had a farm near our old house that advertised Farm Fresh Eggs and of course people thought they were free range - but he bought them from a nearby battery farm :shock:

He wasn't really telling a lie - they were fresh from the battery farm, but it was very misleading )dwn:

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 04 Jan 2009, 21:18

I was even more shocked to find out that the eggs in the shop Owen works in are battery eggs. The butcher has a farm too!! Worst of all, when he asked if they were free range he was told "No, but if a customer asks, say they are" :shock:

He has promised me he will say he doesn't know if a customer asks - after all he has to keep his job!!

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 04 Jan 2009, 21:28

I think the thing with farmers is that a lot of the older ones are entrenched in the old-style battery / intensive methods and it is the newer farmers who are more caring of their livestock - I'll probably get shot down for saying that. But the farmers I have known have usually not seen their stock as living feeling creatures and think the newbies are all molly coddling them :!:

Post by **Richard** » 04 Jan 2009, 22:43

Well done babycakes, although I would say that I don't think anyone on here would try to give someone a guilty consience.

At the end of the day, it's the individuals decision and FOR YOU, it's the right one.

Keep at it.

Richard )t'

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 04 Jan 2009, 22:49

Richard wrote:Well done babycakes, although I would say that I don't think anyone on here would try to give someone a guilty consience.

At the end of the day, it's the individuals decision and FOR YOU, it's the right one.

Keep at it.

Richard

Richard that is why the site is SO GOOD - no one is forcing their points of view or saying that someone else is wrong because they do things differently. Its just advice and ideas and a common desire to 'get it right' )t'

misty · Post by **misty** » 04 Jan 2009, 23:11

I think babycakes is a bit of a star! Well done.

Post by **p.penn** » 04 Jan 2009, 23:20

Oh Babycakes - well done on rejecting the caged hen eggs - that is SO lovely. )t'

I am sure you will be able to taste the difference, although if you can buy at a reasonable price locally, they will probably be even better (and you may be able to see the hens that laid them!!)