Courtesy photo

Chickens at home on the (free) range

From sausage omelets to dinner casseroles and scrambled eggs to triple-layer chocolate cakes, eggs form the basis of many dishes around the world. But have you ever wondered where the eggs you eat for breakfast, huddled in your sandwiches, come from? While sitting at your favorite restaurant and eating chicken fried rice with an egg casserole, do you ever wonder how these eggs are processed, manufactured, and brought to you? The majority is oblivious to the darker, less pleasant side of eggs. These eggs are not merely hatched from blissful chickens and sold to you through your local grocery stores. No, it is not that simple at all.

The truth is nowhere as pretty as adorable chicks and round shaped white eggs — the ideal image that comes to mind when the word "eggs" is mentioned. True, although this commonly eaten food appears to be pure, round, and shiny, the reality behind it is that most egg-laying hens in the U.S. are confined in battery cages. This means that they are all squeezed tightly together in cages to the point where moving is near impossible. Is this the way our chickens should be treated?

So, as Alameda High School students of Humane Society Youth Club, we would like to urge you to reconsider the types of eggs you buy.

The most common types of eggs sold are conventional eggs (no special labels). Each hen is typically given less than half a square foot of space, which gives virtually no room for hens to spread their wings. It becomes almost impossible for hens to engage in behaviors, such as perching, nesting and foraging. In most egg production, to maximize the amount of hens in minimum space, hens are typically raised in minimal space and their beaks often cut off with a hot knife to prevent pecking at themselves and others.

Cage-free eggs are a step better. The name is self-explanatory, but hens are still living under harsh, cramped conditions because they are confined in small rooms, unable to freely roam outside the barn. However, at least cage-free hens have room to simply spread their wings and move around.

Free-range is an even more humane option for hens. A statement on the American Egg Board's Web site says "True free-range eggs are those produced by hens raised outdoors or that have daily access to the outdoors."

Well, think about it. Have you ever been in an immensely dark and enclosed space where you couldn't even move, let alone walk? Millions of hens are experiencing this right this second. They are kept in battery cages that reek of urine and feces and they are practically prisoners held for one reason, and that is to lay eggs. Imagine the psychological stress that is produced by the environment.

Besides the obvious fact that they cannot stretch their wings nor exercise their legs, they are cramped together in cages that will not spare them the least bit of space. Loud shrills of distress are heard throughout the day, but nobody heeds their calls. Some become so miserable they even starve to death or become overpowered by fellow hens without putting up a fight.

However, we can stop the use of battery cages and buy free-range eggs laid by hens living in the outdoors. Although the price is slightly higher, it can eventually be lowered with consumer support. Even at this time, the slight price increase is only about a penny more per egg. If people become more conscious of this, we may be able to save hens from experiencing the pain or fear of confinement in battery cages.

If you were a chicken, wouldn't it be nice to roam around in freedom before being slaughtered for human consumption? To purchase eggs from a "free-range" or "cage-free" certified company is a simple and humane way to reduce animal cruelty. Indeed, it is a slightly higher price to pay to make an effort in achieving humaneness, but this small price increase is only around a one-cent increase per egg.

However, if we were to continue on treating hens in such a cruel way, what would it say about us humans? Perhaps the word "humane" should not have the root word "human" in it if we continue treating animals differently than we treat ourselves. It is time to turn our apathy around and keep ourselves accountable for the choices we make that show the world what kind of beings we are.

Buying cage-free or free-range eggs will not only abolish confinement for chickens and hens, doing so will tell the world that we are not cold and heartless people, but compassionate beings willing to make a change for the protection of all species.

The authors are members of the Humane Society Youth Club at Alameda High School.