Some questions we are most often asked
How can I tell if an egg is free range?
A quick look on any supermarket shelf will show you that many producers claim to be selling free range eggs. Its always hard to be sure, because accreditation standards are mostly not worth the paper they are written on. There are several accreditation bodies in Australia but their standards vary greatly and most of them have an inadequate audit process. Some fail to enforce the standards they claim to have in place so it is impossible to trust logos. A pretty picture on the pack isn't a good guide because it may not be a true reflection of the farm. Neither is yolk colour a real guide, because it varies with the time of year and the availability of green grass. If the yolks always look the same, the producer is almost certainly using colouring additives in the chook feed. The major problem is that in Australia there is s very loose national definition of the term 'free range' which makes it impossible to maintain accountability in the industry.
Almost any eggs can be packaged as free range and there's not much even the ACCC can do unless it can prove deceptive conduct! So it comes down to a matter of trust and there are so many crooks using logos which are meaningless. Don't buy eggs in a supermarket, talk to your egg supplier and find out if your idea of 'free range' matches the sales talk you hear. Have your say and ask questions.
What does 'free range' mean?
Unfortunately in Australia there is a limited legal definition of the term 'free range' when it comes to egg production. There are many smart operators out there with tens of thousands of hens in sheds which can best be described as barn or cage free. There are some who keep the hens locked up for most, if not all of the day. On the Freeranger farm the term means that the hens have total access to pasture (the hens are not shut in even at night) they forage naturally, have a supplementary diet of natural grains containing no meat meal or colouring additives, they are not beak trimmed and have traditional nest boxes in which they lay their eggs.
How do we set up a Food Safety program?
We often get emails or phone calls from operators of free range farms asking
how they can set up a food safety and quality assurance program on their farms.
Well the simplest way is to adapt a generic program which has already been developed.
We have a program which is available on the Freeranger Club page of this website and there is other information available.
What's the difference between free range and ordinary eggs?
Most eggs are laid by hens kept in factory farms in cages or shut in barns. Because they are so closely confined, their beaks are usually trimmed to prevent them from attacking and possibly eating each other. Traditional free range farms have low stocking densities, all day access to pasture and good animal husbandry practices. No hens on a real free range farm are beak trimmed because they have plenty of room to escape from any aggressive birds.
Without full beaks they are unable to forage properly and it is quite pathetic watching a bird which has been beak-trimmed trying to pick up a worm! The diet of beak trimmed birds is essentially the same as those kept in cages even though they may have more freedom to wander around - so the nutritional value of intensive 'free range' eggs is exactly the same as cage eggs.
Unfortunately, in Australia, consumers are being mislead by many producers who label their eggs as 'free range' even though the hens are beak trimmed and are run intensively. One well known producer in New South Wales proudly announced on its website that it ran up to four hens per square metre (40,000 hens per hectare).
And on its Facebook page revealed that it actually had 50,000 hens per hectare. The Australian Egg Corporation knew about it, the Federal Minister for Agriculture knew about it, the State Agriculture Minister knew about it ... but everyone turned a blind eye! The farm has amended its claims to reflect the Coles standard of 10,000 hens per hectare. But CHOICE nailed them with a SHONKY award.
Even worse was a revelation that a 'free range' farm in Victoria was producing very few of the eggs it sold. It was buying at least 70% of its eggs from an unaccredited source in Queensland - and some of those eggs may have originated on a cage farm in New South Wales. The farm was accredited by two bodies - one immediately suspended accreditation the other took no action other than ask for an assurance that the farm wouldn't do it again!
Another egg producer who claims to be free range and sells eggs through Farmers' Markets, openly admitted at an egg industry workshop in Melbourne that during summer his farm was always a dustbowl and he had no grass - but he still labels his eggs as free range! The farm was the subject of a salmonella problem which affected a considerable number of people.
Why are free range eggs more expensive than ordinary eggs?
Production costs are higher because traditional free range farms are generally smaller and always more labour intensive than cage or barn-laid farms. Feed, replacement birds, packaging--virtually everything is more expensive for free range operators because of the relatively low volume of production. It's obviously far less costly per egg, to have 100,000 hens locked in sheds with automatic feeding and egg collection systems compared with a farm where individual flocks are smaller and the hens are out on the paddocks grazing all day. Compliance with food safety standards are the same for all legitimate producers but the relative costs are higher for free range farmers. As with most things in life -- you get what you pay for. But don't think eggs are free range just because the label says so and they are more expensive!
Are eggs washed?
More than 95% of eggs sold in Victoria are washed – but the process which is claimed to reduce bacterial entry into the eggs can actually increase the risk of contamination. Eggs should not be dirty - if they are so dirty that they need to be cleaned, the farm has a management problem.
The washing process is often poorly supervised, but there are approved chemicals and quantities which are supposed to be used.
Chlorine based detergent is recommended in all egg washers.
highly effective in removing debris and microorganisms
from the shell of the egg, also provides initial process of
sanitation. 50kg is sufficient to process about
1 million eggs.
Quaternary ammonia based products are used for
final sanitation Defoamer is used to
control excessive
foam in the washer
Various active ingredients in the sanitizer are residual on the egg shell surface including:
1-OCTANAMINIUM, N,N-DIMETHYL-N-OCTYL-, CHLORIDE
This pesticide is a:
Are free range eggs better than cage eggs?
There has been little scientific evidence to demonstrate the nutritional difference between eggs produced on different farms. However, some research in Europe and the US indicates that free range eggs are better for you and has shown some interesting results. Industry heavyweights argue that there is no nutritional difference and they point to some studies which support their view. But what they don't say is that in all the studies they cite, the 'free range' birds were beak trimmed - so they couldn't forage properly and could essentially only eat the same feed as chooks in cages. No wonder there was no nutritional difference. Many clients and chefs believe free range eggs produce better results from their kitchens. Chefs who care about food stay away from factory production systems.
Where can I buy genuine free range eggs?
Because of our small scale production, freeranger eggs are only available in South West Gippsland.
You can find genuine free range eggs in many health food shops, fruit and veggie outlets and even some small supermarkets--but don't be fooled by fancy packaging with pretty pictures of birds frolicking in grass. The farm may be 'accredited' to some industry program but that often means high stocking densities, beak trimmed birds, feeding meat meal (which may be dead poultry) and enhancing yolk colour with colouring pigmenters.
Are free range hens likely to spread bird flu?
The potential spread of Avian Influenza is unlikely to be reduced by locking up our chooks. The reality is that any threat to the Australian public is more likely to arrive with people travelling from overseas than from migratory birds or from domestic hens. Access of wild birds to free range hens is seen as a risk by some, but wild birds like sparrows and swallows have access to even the most modern poultry sheds. Many cage farms were built over 40 years ago and birds fly in anytime they feel like it! Proper on-farm biosecurity measures should help to limit the spread of any outbreak as will sensible measures such as not having dams anywhere near the poultry range areas to reduce potential contact with wild ducks.
Are there any standards for egg producers?
Yes, but standards vary. In Victoria producers must be registered with their local Council, with the Department of Environment and Primary Industries and they are required to package eggs according to the Shell Egg Code of Victoria. Since November 2014, all eggs produced in Victoria must be stamped with a farm identification code. There are strict labeling requirements in the ACT. Until recently, Queensland has a regulation in place which limited the stocking density of free range hens to 1500 per hectare but the Government caved-in to industry pressure and allows 10,000 hens per hectare to be classified as free range.
If the farm has effective management practices, eggs will be clean when they are collected and there should be no need to wash eggs. The washing process removes a natural 'bloom' from the surface of the egg which helps prevent the entry of bacteria. In our view, washed eggs should be classed as seconds and not offered for retail sale. The Australian Egg Corporation Ltd operates the Egg Corp Assured program which audits the quality of production on participating farms and provides guaranteed standards for consumers. Unfortunately it does not enforce all the provisions of the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Domestic Poultry, even though participating farms are supposed to meet the requirements of the Model Code to be accredited. None of these standards is met by backyard operators or illegal sellers at thousands of markets across Australia. The Egg Corporation has been trying to water down its standards to allow intensive farms to be classified as 'free range'. It tried to implement a stocking density of up to 20,000 hens per hectare and allow beak trimming as a matter of course. This plan was thwarted by industry and consumer pressure - so it's now supporting the Coles standards of 10,000 birds per hectare.
How do I start a free range farm?
The best starting point is to visit a genuine free-range farm and see what they do. If you like the idea, talk to your council about planning regulations and any particular requirements you will have to meet on your property. If you want to go ahead, you can get our eBook on Starting A Free Range Farm .
How do I maintain flock health?
You will keep your birds healthy if you feed a well balanced ration, (preferably not pellets) formulated for laying hens, provide ample clean water, maintain good farm biosecurity, keep sheds and nest boxes clean and vermin-free and watch for any debilitating signs which may indicate the start of an infection or problems with parasites.
Why are some egg whites runny?
If an egg is broken onto a flat surface and the albumen (white) is watery and spreads-out, most people believe this indicates that the egg is stale. They may be right - but they may also be wrong! The height of the albumen and the weight of the egg are used to calculate a value in Haugh units on a scale of 0 to 110. Under this measuring system, the lower the value, the older the egg is supposed to be.
A minimum Haugh unit measurement of 60 is desirable for whole eggs sold to domestic consumers. Eggs leaving the farm should average between 75 and 85 Haugh units and many farms conduct random testing to ensure quality.
Although watery whites are seen as an indication of the increasing age of the egg, the problem may be magnified by a high storage temperature and low humidity. Also, as birds age, the Haugh unit value of their eggs decreases by about 1.5 to 2 units per month of lay. Some birds consistently produce eggs with watery whites (Haugh units less than 30) later in lay, which is one reason that most commercial farms only keep their birds for one laying season. So in some circumstances, even a fresh egg laid that day can have a watery white.
Newcastle Disease and Infectious Bronchitis in a flock (or individual birds) can result in eggs with watery albumen, and this condition may persist for a while after the disease outbreak has been controlled. Eggs which are several days old may have weak and watery albumen, and the CO2 loss makes the content alkaline, affecting the egg flavour. High temperatures cause a rapid decrease in internal quality. Storage above 15.5 °C increases humidity losses but high relative humidity helps to decrease egg water losses.
Excluding disease, the single most important factor affecting the albumen quality of freshly laid eggs is the age of the birds. With advancing flock age, Haugh unit scores decrease and the variability of the scores increases. Albumen quality of the egg is not greatly influenced by bird nutrition.
When ambient temperatures are high and there are delays in egg collection, the Haugh unit score may decline.
The maintenance of albumen quality during egg storage is dependent on the eggs being cooled quickly following lay and subsequently being held at appropriate temperatures (ie below 15.5 degrees celcius).
Different strains of hens can show a great variation in Haugh unit scores. Strains laying white-shelled eggs have been shown to be much less variable than those producing brown-shelled eggs.
What hens should I get for my backyard?
This is an almost impossible question to answer because it depends what you want. Hibrid bids such as Isa Browns are excellent layers and are very docile - so are ideal in a family situation. Free Range farms such as ours, often have birds available for domestic backyards. But for people people who prefer traditional breeds, you can't go past Rhode Island Reds or New Hampshires. For those who want dual purpose meat and egg laying hens, breeds such as Australorps or Light Sussex are ideal.
There are so many different breeds available that it comes down to individual preferences. There are many specialist breeders out there as well as websites and magazines which will provide ideas. You could start here.
The most important things are to have a secure area for your hens, good shelter, adequate nest boxes and provide good food and water. Also remember not to mix vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds as your non-vaccinated birds probably won't survive.
A quick look on any supermarket shelf will show you that many producers claim to be selling free range eggs. Its always hard to be sure, because accreditation standards are mostly not worth the paper they are written on. There are several accreditation bodies in Australia but their standards vary greatly and most of them have an inadequate audit process. Some fail to enforce the standards they claim to have in place so it is impossible to trust logos. A pretty picture on the pack isn't a good guide because it may not be a true reflection of the farm. Neither is yolk colour a real guide, because it varies with the time of year and the availability of green grass. If the yolks always look the same, the producer is almost certainly using colouring additives in the chook feed. The major problem is that in Australia there is s very loose national definition of the term 'free range' which makes it impossible to maintain accountability in the industry.
Almost any eggs can be packaged as free range and there's not much even the ACCC can do unless it can prove deceptive conduct! So it comes down to a matter of trust and there are so many crooks using logos which are meaningless. Don't buy eggs in a supermarket, talk to your egg supplier and find out if your idea of 'free range' matches the sales talk you hear. Have your say and ask questions.
What does 'free range' mean?
Unfortunately in Australia there is a limited legal definition of the term 'free range' when it comes to egg production. There are many smart operators out there with tens of thousands of hens in sheds which can best be described as barn or cage free. There are some who keep the hens locked up for most, if not all of the day. On the Freeranger farm the term means that the hens have total access to pasture (the hens are not shut in even at night) they forage naturally, have a supplementary diet of natural grains containing no meat meal or colouring additives, they are not beak trimmed and have traditional nest boxes in which they lay their eggs.
How do we set up a Food Safety program?
We often get emails or phone calls from operators of free range farms asking
how they can set up a food safety and quality assurance program on their farms.
Well the simplest way is to adapt a generic program which has already been developed.
We have a program which is available on the Freeranger Club page of this website and there is other information available.
What's the difference between free range and ordinary eggs?
Most eggs are laid by hens kept in factory farms in cages or shut in barns. Because they are so closely confined, their beaks are usually trimmed to prevent them from attacking and possibly eating each other. Traditional free range farms have low stocking densities, all day access to pasture and good animal husbandry practices. No hens on a real free range farm are beak trimmed because they have plenty of room to escape from any aggressive birds.
Without full beaks they are unable to forage properly and it is quite pathetic watching a bird which has been beak-trimmed trying to pick up a worm! The diet of beak trimmed birds is essentially the same as those kept in cages even though they may have more freedom to wander around - so the nutritional value of intensive 'free range' eggs is exactly the same as cage eggs.
Unfortunately, in Australia, consumers are being mislead by many producers who label their eggs as 'free range' even though the hens are beak trimmed and are run intensively. One well known producer in New South Wales proudly announced on its website that it ran up to four hens per square metre (40,000 hens per hectare).
And on its Facebook page revealed that it actually had 50,000 hens per hectare. The Australian Egg Corporation knew about it, the Federal Minister for Agriculture knew about it, the State Agriculture Minister knew about it ... but everyone turned a blind eye! The farm has amended its claims to reflect the Coles standard of 10,000 hens per hectare. But CHOICE nailed them with a SHONKY award.
Even worse was a revelation that a 'free range' farm in Victoria was producing very few of the eggs it sold. It was buying at least 70% of its eggs from an unaccredited source in Queensland - and some of those eggs may have originated on a cage farm in New South Wales. The farm was accredited by two bodies - one immediately suspended accreditation the other took no action other than ask for an assurance that the farm wouldn't do it again!
Another egg producer who claims to be free range and sells eggs through Farmers' Markets, openly admitted at an egg industry workshop in Melbourne that during summer his farm was always a dustbowl and he had no grass - but he still labels his eggs as free range! The farm was the subject of a salmonella problem which affected a considerable number of people.
Why are free range eggs more expensive than ordinary eggs?
Production costs are higher because traditional free range farms are generally smaller and always more labour intensive than cage or barn-laid farms. Feed, replacement birds, packaging--virtually everything is more expensive for free range operators because of the relatively low volume of production. It's obviously far less costly per egg, to have 100,000 hens locked in sheds with automatic feeding and egg collection systems compared with a farm where individual flocks are smaller and the hens are out on the paddocks grazing all day. Compliance with food safety standards are the same for all legitimate producers but the relative costs are higher for free range farmers. As with most things in life -- you get what you pay for. But don't think eggs are free range just because the label says so and they are more expensive!
Are eggs washed?
More than 95% of eggs sold in Victoria are washed – but the process which is claimed to reduce bacterial entry into the eggs can actually increase the risk of contamination. Eggs should not be dirty - if they are so dirty that they need to be cleaned, the farm has a management problem.
The washing process is often poorly supervised, but there are approved chemicals and quantities which are supposed to be used.
Chlorine based detergent is recommended in all egg washers.
highly effective in removing debris and microorganisms
from the shell of the egg, also provides initial process of
sanitation. 50kg is sufficient to process about
1 million eggs.
Quaternary ammonia based products are used for
final sanitation Defoamer is used to
control excessive
foam in the washer
Various active ingredients in the sanitizer are residual on the egg shell surface including:
1-OCTANAMINIUM, N,N-DIMETHYL-N-OCTYL-, CHLORIDE
This pesticide is a:
- DISINFECTANT
- FUNGICIDE
- SANITIZER
- VIRUCIDE
Are free range eggs better than cage eggs?
There has been little scientific evidence to demonstrate the nutritional difference between eggs produced on different farms. However, some research in Europe and the US indicates that free range eggs are better for you and has shown some interesting results. Industry heavyweights argue that there is no nutritional difference and they point to some studies which support their view. But what they don't say is that in all the studies they cite, the 'free range' birds were beak trimmed - so they couldn't forage properly and could essentially only eat the same feed as chooks in cages. No wonder there was no nutritional difference. Many clients and chefs believe free range eggs produce better results from their kitchens. Chefs who care about food stay away from factory production systems.
Where can I buy genuine free range eggs?
Because of our small scale production, freeranger eggs are only available in South West Gippsland.
You can find genuine free range eggs in many health food shops, fruit and veggie outlets and even some small supermarkets--but don't be fooled by fancy packaging with pretty pictures of birds frolicking in grass. The farm may be 'accredited' to some industry program but that often means high stocking densities, beak trimmed birds, feeding meat meal (which may be dead poultry) and enhancing yolk colour with colouring pigmenters.
Are free range hens likely to spread bird flu?
The potential spread of Avian Influenza is unlikely to be reduced by locking up our chooks. The reality is that any threat to the Australian public is more likely to arrive with people travelling from overseas than from migratory birds or from domestic hens. Access of wild birds to free range hens is seen as a risk by some, but wild birds like sparrows and swallows have access to even the most modern poultry sheds. Many cage farms were built over 40 years ago and birds fly in anytime they feel like it! Proper on-farm biosecurity measures should help to limit the spread of any outbreak as will sensible measures such as not having dams anywhere near the poultry range areas to reduce potential contact with wild ducks.
Are there any standards for egg producers?
Yes, but standards vary. In Victoria producers must be registered with their local Council, with the Department of Environment and Primary Industries and they are required to package eggs according to the Shell Egg Code of Victoria. Since November 2014, all eggs produced in Victoria must be stamped with a farm identification code. There are strict labeling requirements in the ACT. Until recently, Queensland has a regulation in place which limited the stocking density of free range hens to 1500 per hectare but the Government caved-in to industry pressure and allows 10,000 hens per hectare to be classified as free range.
If the farm has effective management practices, eggs will be clean when they are collected and there should be no need to wash eggs. The washing process removes a natural 'bloom' from the surface of the egg which helps prevent the entry of bacteria. In our view, washed eggs should be classed as seconds and not offered for retail sale. The Australian Egg Corporation Ltd operates the Egg Corp Assured program which audits the quality of production on participating farms and provides guaranteed standards for consumers. Unfortunately it does not enforce all the provisions of the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Domestic Poultry, even though participating farms are supposed to meet the requirements of the Model Code to be accredited. None of these standards is met by backyard operators or illegal sellers at thousands of markets across Australia. The Egg Corporation has been trying to water down its standards to allow intensive farms to be classified as 'free range'. It tried to implement a stocking density of up to 20,000 hens per hectare and allow beak trimming as a matter of course. This plan was thwarted by industry and consumer pressure - so it's now supporting the Coles standards of 10,000 birds per hectare.
How do I start a free range farm?
The best starting point is to visit a genuine free-range farm and see what they do. If you like the idea, talk to your council about planning regulations and any particular requirements you will have to meet on your property. If you want to go ahead, you can get our eBook on Starting A Free Range Farm .
How do I maintain flock health?
You will keep your birds healthy if you feed a well balanced ration, (preferably not pellets) formulated for laying hens, provide ample clean water, maintain good farm biosecurity, keep sheds and nest boxes clean and vermin-free and watch for any debilitating signs which may indicate the start of an infection or problems with parasites.
Why are some egg whites runny?
If an egg is broken onto a flat surface and the albumen (white) is watery and spreads-out, most people believe this indicates that the egg is stale. They may be right - but they may also be wrong! The height of the albumen and the weight of the egg are used to calculate a value in Haugh units on a scale of 0 to 110. Under this measuring system, the lower the value, the older the egg is supposed to be.
A minimum Haugh unit measurement of 60 is desirable for whole eggs sold to domestic consumers. Eggs leaving the farm should average between 75 and 85 Haugh units and many farms conduct random testing to ensure quality.
Although watery whites are seen as an indication of the increasing age of the egg, the problem may be magnified by a high storage temperature and low humidity. Also, as birds age, the Haugh unit value of their eggs decreases by about 1.5 to 2 units per month of lay. Some birds consistently produce eggs with watery whites (Haugh units less than 30) later in lay, which is one reason that most commercial farms only keep their birds for one laying season. So in some circumstances, even a fresh egg laid that day can have a watery white.
Newcastle Disease and Infectious Bronchitis in a flock (or individual birds) can result in eggs with watery albumen, and this condition may persist for a while after the disease outbreak has been controlled. Eggs which are several days old may have weak and watery albumen, and the CO2 loss makes the content alkaline, affecting the egg flavour. High temperatures cause a rapid decrease in internal quality. Storage above 15.5 °C increases humidity losses but high relative humidity helps to decrease egg water losses.
Excluding disease, the single most important factor affecting the albumen quality of freshly laid eggs is the age of the birds. With advancing flock age, Haugh unit scores decrease and the variability of the scores increases. Albumen quality of the egg is not greatly influenced by bird nutrition.
When ambient temperatures are high and there are delays in egg collection, the Haugh unit score may decline.
The maintenance of albumen quality during egg storage is dependent on the eggs being cooled quickly following lay and subsequently being held at appropriate temperatures (ie below 15.5 degrees celcius).
Different strains of hens can show a great variation in Haugh unit scores. Strains laying white-shelled eggs have been shown to be much less variable than those producing brown-shelled eggs.
What hens should I get for my backyard?
This is an almost impossible question to answer because it depends what you want. Hibrid bids such as Isa Browns are excellent layers and are very docile - so are ideal in a family situation. Free Range farms such as ours, often have birds available for domestic backyards. But for people people who prefer traditional breeds, you can't go past Rhode Island Reds or New Hampshires. For those who want dual purpose meat and egg laying hens, breeds such as Australorps or Light Sussex are ideal.
There are so many different breeds available that it comes down to individual preferences. There are many specialist breeders out there as well as websites and magazines which will provide ideas. You could start here.
The most important things are to have a secure area for your hens, good shelter, adequate nest boxes and provide good food and water. Also remember not to mix vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds as your non-vaccinated birds probably won't survive.
What is animal welfare all about?
Heaps of information is available about best practice on farms to meet animal welfare standards but one of the most comprehensive documents published recently is from the UK's Farm Animal Welfare Council. The report can be downloaded here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/fawc/files/Farm-Animal-Welfare-Health-and-Disease.pdf