Would You Accept Very Large Eggs As A Sub For Large Eggs?

[ladybirder]

My grocery order is due to be delivered shortly and I have just done a google check on VERY large Eggs. It seems on the info from 2009, which was all I got, that hens that lay these VL eggs are cruelly treated to be able to produce them. Can anybody give me any more recent info re the cruelty aspect so I can make up my mind whether to keep them or not. At the moment I am going to be short of eggs for a couple of weeks. Thank you.

[dannyk13]

Eggs is eggs.

[tiggerblue10]

I got some very large eggs a few years ago and most of them were double-yolked. Not sure if this was due to ill-treatment.

[anneasquith]

Large eggs are ok but not very large eggs. An article from 2009 ?

[Mozz71]

While I always buy free range when I can, I wouldn't throw away any eggs for ethical reasons. It accomplishes nothing if you already have them.

[Sqad]

Mrs sqad only buys organic eggs.

[Mexican18]

They just make their eyes water a bit more!

[rexy0101]

I keep poultry and every now and again my chickens lay extremely large eggs. It is very stressful and must be extremely painful for them and can cause a lot of damage even death if the egg gets stuck.

[Mamyalynne]

This may be the article you read and it does not come to a clear decision about cruelty etc.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1161370/Egg-cessive-Large-eggs-painful-hens-lay-claim-experts-Whats-theyre-tasty-So-stop-shelling-them.html#:~:text=Laying%20very%20large%20eggs%20can,egg%20delivery%20men%20will%20testify%E2%80%A6

Very large eggs are available across the free range and organic ones,yes I'd accept them.

[Barsel]

Ladybirder you might find this article helpful when deciding.

https://www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/chicken-egg-laying-pain

[TrevorThePug]

If you were that concerned, you'd not accept large eggs either?

[pastafreak]

I always prefer VL eggs...I've never heard this before.
If we start rejecting them, wouldn't that be a form of wastage?
According to this,they are genetically determined...

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/Are-oversized-eggs-that-are-difficult-for-my-hens-H195.aspx

[ladybirder]

Thanks everyone. Barsel and Mamy I have read both of those articles but thanks:-) I was trying to post articles from The Times or Telegraph but both have a pay wall up.
Danny, //eggs is eggs\\ not if you care about animals it isn't. Sqad I buy organic as well. Mozz I'm not throwing any away, the driver will take them back to Waitrose.
Rexy thank you so much, good to hear from someone who keeps chickens.
I've made my mind up, I shall be buying medium eggs in future but a few more to make up for the smaller size.

[AuntPollyGrey]

We have hens and frequently get teeny weeny ones and huge ones -the record being a quadruple yolker. They are all fed the same, totally free range and of varying ages. I can't honestly think what any commercial egg producer could feed the hens to produce bigger eggs. Surely, they just grade all the eggs that get laid and pack them accordingly? I would be more concerned where the eggs came from rather than the size. Free range is the only way -look very carefully because some shops -Aldi in particular- sell 'caged eggs' a marginally better option than the now banned battery eggs but just as cruel and should be avoided.

[dannyk13]

LB //Danny, //eggs is eggs\\ not if you care about animals it isn't.//
I take it that you are a vegan then?

[pastafreak]

LB, if you kept chickens, and the same chicken was laying different sized eggs, you'd not eat the large ones?

[Mamyalynne]

I am struggling to see the logic here.

[dannyk13]

APG so from your experience with chickens it would appear that very large eggs have nothing to do with cruelty.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Ladybirder -you should be looking for Free Range not organic, some ailments/parasites hens get cannot be medicated with organic medicines and therefore they could be exposed to suffering. It makes me annoyed that people equate Organic with good health -not always the case!

[Bobbisox1]

Same as Sqads Mrs , got to be organic or nothing here

[AuntPollyGrey]

Danny, no not in my experience. We have a variety of breeds and different ages -I usually buy 'point of lay' pure breeds and when they start laying they usually lay a 'mini' egg then the eggs tend to get larger, culminating in less eggs but bigger eggs as they get to the end of their productive lives. No cruelty whatsoever in my case -they have 4 acres of woodland and pasture to roam in and are very happy hens.