My eggs don’t just have a blood spot but are all bloody inside, why? Do processors not use electronic candlers?

Dr. Bédécarrats: “Blood spots are the result of small blood vessels rupturing during the formation of the yolk and or blood leakage during ovulation that becomes part of the egg. The eggs on your table are normally not fertile, so blood spots do not correspond to early embryo development. Yes, eggs are checked with a variety of new equipment at the grading station, but this is mostly to check for cracks and defects. Note that the procedure of “candling” is when eggs are held above a light in a dark room. The light penetrates the egg and makes it possible to observe the inside of the egg. Candling is actually used to check embryo development in fertilized eggs, which is not necessary for eggs designed for consumption.”

Why do I crack open my eggs and find so many double yolks? Are farmers feeding their hens hormones?

Dr. Bédécarrats: “It is important to understand that no hormones are used in poultry production as genetic selection and improved nutrition are sufficient to increase production to meet consumer demand.

“Chickens, like most birds, have only one functional ovary and the growing yolks are organized in a hierarchal manner in the chicken, with the biggest one first. High producing birds lay an egg every day in a timely manner, and sometimes instead of having one single growing yolk, there may be two in the ovulation process. When this double ovulation occurs, both yolks end up in the egg. All the eggs on your table go through a grading station that checks for integrity, weight, size and shape. They are then organized in small, large and extra-large categories (double yolks will likely be in the extra-large group). Often the double yolks are sent to the “breakers market” for commercial use in bakeries or producing products such as mayonnaise.”

How is yolk colour determined? Are organic eggs darker or lighter in colour? Are free-range eggs darker or lighter?

Dr. Bédécarrats: “The colour of the yolk has nothing to do with them being produced organically, conventionally, or the chickens’ genetics – it is only dependant on the nutrition of the laying hen. The colouration is the result of pigments naturally found in feed that are accumulated in yolks and can be adjusted to accommodate for the consumer preferences of a specific market. For example, in North America a paler yolk is preferred compared to some Asian countries who prefer an orange coloured yolk. A diet based on wheat will give a lighter coloration while corn-based diets gives a slightly darker colour. If plant pigments such as carotenoids (which give carrots their orange colour) are part of the diet the egg yolk will become darker. When outdoor free-range chickens supplement their diets with foraged plants and insects, it could change the amount and type of pigment ingested.”

Here is a guide to differences between conventional, organic, free-range and cage-free eggs.

Why are my eggs runny when I crack them?

Dr. Bédécarrats:  “Although most laying hens have an unchanging egg white consistency, sickness and the age of the bird can impact the integrity of the egg. Commonly, the main factors of a watery egg white are the age and storage of the egg itself. An older egg, insufficient humidity or a high storage temperature can result in more watery eggs.”

Eggs are a natural food and variations occur because of differences in hens, their age or diet.  May is National Egg Month, so it’s a good time to crack one open. Vote in the poll for your favourite way to enjoy eggs!

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Chickens that provide us with eggs are called “egg laying hens.” What is their average day like? Do they have a schedule? What behaviors do they exhibit?

Dr. Karcher:

If we looked at a typical egg laying hen, I would say they probably do have a daily schedule. Typically when the lights come up they are going to wake up and start to socialize with each other. They will find a location in which to lay their egg, drink and eat. Occasionally they might dust-bathe, or wing flap.

What do hens need in order to produce safe, nutritious eggs?

Dr. Beyer:

There are several things hens need to have in order to produce high quality eggs.  An environment with a temperature of 54 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. In terms of proper nutrition, hens can’t be over-fed and they can’t be underfed, or it will deplete their bone structure, potentially cause pecking and cannibalism, and could even cause fewer eggs to be produced. It’s also very important for those who are taking care of the hens to observe the status of the entire flock of birds. When doing so, we are checking to ensure their behaviors are normal, they’re active and that they’re not exhibiting signs of stress.

Dr. Karcher:

The most important things hens need to produce eggs is a constant source of quality feed, clean water and proper lighting conditions. By providing these elements, it allows the hen to produce her eggs more efficiently.

Why do a lot of producers keep egg laying hens inside barns and in cages?

Dr. Beyer:

Something unique about poultry is that they can interact with other birds in the environment, if they’re allowed to be outdoors. That presents a problem when you have outside birds introducing parasites and diseases into the flock by flying overhead or mingling together with the flock. An example would be wild geese flying over an outdoor flock and dropping fecal matter into pens. That’s the premise behind raising hens in barns.

The reason for cages is completely different. Cages have automatic feeding and watering systems that allow farmers to collect the eggs easily. This not only means farmers don’t have to search for eggs, it also means the eggs aren’t sitting in fecal matter (which is important for food safety), that they’re not stepped on, and ultimately, it reduces the cost consumers pay for eggs, because it is a more efficient system on the farm. Cages also segregate the hens, which is important, because they can be very mean to one another; cannibalization is not uncommon among hens. Finally, if you have a sick bird, it keeps that bird from spreading the illness across the entire barn.

Dr. Karcher:

Our eggs used to be produced with smaller flocks that were outside. However, we found that if we could move hens to cages inside a building we could better monitor and regulate their environment to keep them safe and comfortable. As an example, instead of exposing hens to extreme weather, heat and cold, we can make a tempered environment for the hens. We are also able to provide the hens with sufficient lighting and continuous water and feed.

Another thing we have found is that if we move hens into cages, we eliminate interaction with their feces. This means we can produce eggs that are cleaner, reduce the risk of disease and eliminate the hens from interacting with wild birds and predators outdoors.

All of these factors mean that we can care for the hens in a more wholesome way than we could if they were exposed to the different outdoor elements.

Will the taste or nutritional quality of eggs differ based on how the hen is raised?

Dr. Beyer:

This is something that hasn’t been studied very much, but that many people have opinions on. My answer is no. Even an ostrich egg, compared to a chicken egg, has about the same nutrient components. The reason it doesn’t change is that these eggs are going to grow an embryo, and that embryo needs certain components to form, or it’s not successfully going to hatch a chick. So changing the housing systems is probably not going to lead to big changes that we can detect in taste or nutrition.

This is the second post of a three-part series. Be sure to check out Part One and Part Three.

_{Image: “P1080832” by Jessica “The Hun” Reeder is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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We took an in-depth look at each of the terms and asking experts their professional opinions, as we know consumers are interested in learning about the lives of hens that produce these eggs for us to eat. We’ll embark on a three-part series to get to the bottom of the questions we’ve received and the general scope of this topic.

So what are the most common ways hens are raised to produce eggs? We’ll look at the top four types of barns and get expert insights on the advantages and disadvantages to each.

The experts we enlisted for this post are Dr. Darrin Karcher professor at Michigan State University and Dr. Patricia Hester, professor of Animal Sciences at Purdue University. Dr. Karcher describes the systems used for laying hens, while Dr. Hester gives the advantages and disadvantages to each.

Conventional Cages

This system provides 67-86 square inches per bird, as well as continuous feed and water. Dr. Karcher explains that the industry currently uses the conventional cage system most frequently.

• Advantages:
  • Hens have fewer incidences of cannibalism because of smaller group sizes.
  • Cages provide protection from predators and wildlife.
  • Hens housed in cage housing systems are at a lower risk of infectious disease.
  • Conventional caging does not incorporate the use of litter.  Litter-based systems have been shown to have increased levels of ammonia, dust and bacteria.
  • Hens in cages have improved livability
• Disadvantages:
  • Restriction of natural behaviors: Hens in cages are less able to perform behaviors such as dust bathing and foraging.
  • Nesting and roosting are not options in the conventional cages.
  • Hens may experience overgrown claws.
  • Caged hens have poorer skeletal health because of lack of exercise.

Enriched Colony Housing Units

This system provides around 116 to 144 square inches per bird again with constant feed and water. But there are perches, a forage mat or scratch pad area, as well as a nest box or an area where the birds can have some privacy to lay eggs. Abrasive strips are provided to keep claws trimmed.

• Advantages: 
  • Hens are better able to express their natural behaviors  such as nesting, foraging, and perching than in conventional cages
  • Perches: Hens are motivated to perch, especially to roost at night. Perches improve bone strength
• Disadvantages: 
  • Foraging behavior and dust bathing are not expressed as easily as in cage-free systems.
  • Nest-dwelling parasites can be a problem.

Cage Free

There is a colony nest box which usually runs down the center of the house with a slatted area where the feed and water are located so the hens then can go into this nesting area to lay their eggs. Aviaries also fall into the category of cage-free housing where hens can use vertical space to access one or more tiers consisting of wire or perforated floors or platforms.  A littered area for scratching is available in cage-free systems.

• Advantages:
  • Barn – and – aviary raised hens show improvement in bone strength, but more bone breakage occurs because of increased activity over hens raised in cages.
  • Increased ability to forage and dust bathe.
• Disadvantages:
  • Birds raised on the floor are more likely to encounter disease carriers in feces or dampened litter, potentially leading to reduced health.
  • Cannibalism and pecking is greater in cage-free systems.
  • Litter – based systems have been shown to have increased levels of ammonia, dust, and bacteria.

Free-Range

The key feature of free-range housing is access to an outdoor area during the day.

• Advantages:
  • Hens with access to both indoor and outdoor areas have the greatest range of behavioral opportunities. Hens that spend more time outside have better feather condition.
• Disadvantages:
  • Outdoor conditions could potentially expose hens to toxins, wild birds and their diseases, predators, and climatic extremes. Hens are often reluctant to use the range area or venture far from the hen house resulting in wear of the pasture in the area near the house.

What type of eggs does your family buy? Tell us in the comments section!

This is the first post of a three-part series. Be sure to check out Part Two and Part Three.

_{Photo: “Organic Eggs China – Chicken Farm” by I a walsh is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

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