Eggs

[Uzoma]

Is there a difference (taste wise) between normal eggs & free range eggs?

[Revs]

Not really, free range happen to have a yellower yolk than supermarket ones. But taste the same to me.

[kev100]

Free range eggs are a myth Uzoma, to be called "free range" it simply means that the hens have to have a cat flap sized door at one end of the egg laying factory so that in legal terms they can be described as being free to go outside.

And contrary to what Revs said true free range eggs have a yolk that is very pale in colour, the deep golden yellow yolk is due to the dye which is put in chicken feed to make the yolk of eggs look more appetizing.

[filthiestfis]

how do you know all this kev?

[Catso]

I think kev is being a bit cynical. He could be right in some instances, but there are now plenty of real free range eggs available.

The yolk colour is affected by what the birds eat, and most layer's feeds do include something to colour the yolk.

To answer your question: I think you'd have to be a specialist taster to tell any difference, if there was any difference. I'd say they taste just the same. They do have a different texture, as well though, they often seem much thicker to me. They seem to 'hang together' better when you cook them.

[pingu748]

I normally buy "free range" from Tesco ... and they taste fine .. but nothing to the real free range I get to eat when I stay on my in laws farm on the isle of Arran ... there is just no comparison ...

[Kazzarooney]

Some eggs smell of fish for some reason, can smell it when I make scrambled eggs! puts me right off

[lafrancaise]

You need to buy organic eggs, then you know the hen is outside, has a certain amount of room and is fed on organic meal as well as being able to scrat for worms, insects etc, there IS a difference then.

[Catso]

Because, kazzarooney, hen feed often contains fish meal, to get the protein levels up.

[bookermel]

I keep hens in my garden, and they are free range. They have a varied diet of bugs/grubs, vegatation corn and mixed grain and suitable household scraps. Their eggs have such a dark yellow yolk that the teacher at my kids school always shows them as an example during cookery classes. They are richer in taste and have no smell (probably due to being fresher) I don't know whether "commercial" free range are so different, but definitly eggs produced from small farms where welfare is important tend to be better.

[kev100]

If eggs were "free range" the hens would lay their eggs in haylofts, under rusty old discarded farm machinery, in long grass, in wooded areas etc.

eggs would be so hard to collect and would take that long to find they would be �25 each

If you think differently try finding a pheasants nest and see how long it takes you.

Free range eggs are a con

[kev100]

To answer filthiestfis question I used to work on a farm.

[filthiestfis]

ok kev. so therefore do you agree that the only real free range is to go organic?

[kev100]

Organic is the next biggest con, we are now being told that genetically modified crops are perfectly safe and cant pollute the rest of our crops

Why? because they are at the other side of the road and the wind cant spread the seeds that far

For f**** sake people WAKE UP