Blue state outlaws most eggs unless cage-free, before new year

Fox Business ^ | 12/20/24 | Greg Wehner

[bert]

Nearly all eggs sold in Michigan starting before the New Year must come from cage-free birds, even as egg prices continue to climb.

Michigan lawmakers modified the Animal Industry Act in 2019, requiring shell eggs from chickens, ducks and other fowl, sold in the state to be from cage-free housing systems, starting Dec. 31, 2024.

[Scrambler Bob]

And it is cruel for chickens to spend their lives cramped in a cage.
= = =

I might suggest a comparison to a Muslim wife, producing lots of kids, while restrained to her home and hajib.

[Biblebelter]

It’s not just eggs but chickens grown for consumption.

That’s a lot of chickens.

Same deal with pork.

We don’t have a call for free range pork because pigs have always been raised in rather small confinement unless the pig was Arnold Ziffel.

And the confinement is now much smaller than the pigpens of yesteryear.

Hog farmers now raise pigs where they never “touch” the ground but are confined in structures with concrete floors that can be regularly rinsed out.

I grew up where farmers raised animals “free range” and they were taken just a few miles to a small local slaughter house and packing plant.

I went to school with kids whose parents made their living running a hatchery where chicks were sold to farmers who raised them “free range”.

Times have changed.

There is so much demand for meat, eggs, and poultry that the concept of free range is impractical.

I’m certainly for “animal” rights when it comes to the commerce of domestic pets.

But animal rights is a slippery slope.

Before you know it, you find yourself with the animal rights activists who never saw a human life inside the womb that they wouldn’t execute.

[Mr Rogers]

“It’s still not anything close to homegrown chicken eggs.”

No, it isn’t. It is a small step up from the mass raising of chickens in conditions that are grossly inhumane. We used to keep chickens in our backyard. Proved tough to do with all the coyotes here and we eventually quit. But chickens are interesting animals and I would pay more for chickens to have a better life.

How much more? Not sure, but they could double the price without me blinking an eye over it.

[newfreep]

I value the essence of life. Whether it’s a chicken’s or whether it’s yours.

So you don't use or eat any animal by-product?

Food...Shoes...Clothing...etc?

[Lion Den Dan]

Uncaging chickens will be counter productive. Chickens were caged for several reasons, one being that uncaged, chickens peck each other to death or loss of productivity. Also, operational efficiency achieved from caged chickens has made eggs affordable. Screw the uncaged, free range goofuses.

[Lion Den Dan]

Sorry about the dupe post.

[Angelino97]

Okay, but not everything is about Muslims.

[gundog]

The eggs aren’t fertile.

[skimbell]

I ordered an egg and a chicken from Amazon.
I’ll let you know.

[bert]

A 69 posts thread........ not bad for something about eggs

[SaveFerris]

Democrats never stop coming up with stupidity

[Tired of Taxes]

"Animal cruelty is something both conservatives and Christians should be concerned about. And it is cruel for chickens to spend their lives cramped in a cage."

I agree... but should a state ban the sale of eggs produced by caged chickens? Whether the answer is yes or no, right now is the wrong time to ban the sale of those eggs.

[Paul R.]

Production of free-rangers really goes down in cold weather, though. We have 14 hens @ present and are averaging under 1 egg a day from the entire group! Their 2 houses are heated on cold nights such that they can gather near the heat source (quartz element @ low power so they don't burn themselves). @ present this is definitely a heavy(!) money loser, even with eggs high price @ the store. Granted, none of ours are "spring chickens". Most of the older hens have shut down entirely, it appears -- in warmer weather most still plop out an egg once in a while.

[Paul R.]

Yeah, I don’t buy the idea that store bought and free range (etc.) have EXACTLY the same nutrient values. Whether that is “good” might be a different story. What if our free-rangers are picking up lead left over from some shootout with Indians, er, Native Americans, 190 years ago?

Well, I’ve not had an urge to make hats. Yet.

[citizen]

They’re going to sell lots of eggs in MI border states......at least until they get the egg smuggling laws up & running.

[Thomas Jerome]

I have 11 hens and ond rooster. Now getting 2 or 3 a day. Adding light is supposed to help but I haven’t tried it yet.

[Diversity Is Our Weakness]

A few days ago in walmart i saw a dozen large walmart brand eggs were $5.42. Under trump they were 98 cents.

[Paul R.]

If the factory birds are kept “in” and isolated, they are less likely to pick up bird flu from some wild bird. That said, it is hard to keep wild birds totally out, so if bird flu does get in a farm, then the whole population in the farm is likely toast.

But, then again, our free-rangers huddle together closely on cool nights.

[Paul R.]

uncaged, chickens peck each other to death or loss of productivity.

That depends a lot on breed, conditions, etc. Uncaged but crowded results in the worst "peckiness". ISA Browns are great layers, but can be bad about attacking other hens.

[Paul R.]

Bantams can be ferocious little buggers. But, some of the meanest big roosters we’ve had were (and one is) Amberlinks. Which seems weird, as the hens are usually very docile and friendly.