Speaking of free range eggs

[Guest guest]

Hello all,

So the eggs that I buy at the supermarket, Country Hen, sent a little

letter in their package of 6 eggs ($2.69) on how prohibitive true free

ranging is. They have a little tear-off at the end that they expect you to

cut off and send back in return requesting they get an exemption from the

free range requirements to be organic. I

Their box advertizes the following:

Certified 100% organic feed Free of Antibiotics Free walking hens First

with Omegas since 1988, each egg contains 285 mg of omega 3's ...

The inside cover says:

The Country hen is unique they live in spacious sunlit barns free from

cages, they get organic feed... and no salmonella... ever appeared.

What do you all think?

'll type out the text:

Dear Egg buyer,

SHOULD WE PUT OUR HENS OUTSIDE?

Do you think that it is necessary and appropriate that we should give our

hens " access to the outdoors'? The new USDA organic regulations specify

that organic livestock must have " access to the outdoors. " We support the

USDA regs in general, and believe that considerable fexibility will be give

to each farm. . . .

We are very interested in your opinion concerning this subject. If you

return this insert (me: this does not apply to you email readers!) with

your decision, we will enter your response in a drawing. . . Send your

reply (postmarked by 4/1, due 4/5) to the Country Hen, PO BOX 333,

Hubbardston, MA 01452.

A CHICKEN IS NOT A COW

OR WHY

ALL LIVESTOCK ARE NOT THE SAME

Not only do chickens have wings and feathers, which cows don't have, but

chickens behave differently on the range:

1. PREDATORS- Chickens cannot defend themselves from predators such as

coyotes, foxes, and raccoons. Cows have horns and hooves, plus weight and

size to help defend themselves.

2. WEATHER- Chickens cannot tolerate bad weather as well as cows and

steers. Based on five years U.S. weather observations taken eight miles

from the farm, rainy days account for 38% of all days between 1 May and 30

September. These five months are acceptable months for outdoor access.

Suitable dry days probably total less than three month of the year.

3. DISEASE- Chickens can be given serious disease by wild birds. Canada

Geese can give avian influenza to chickens. IF THIS HAPPENS, ALL THE

CHICKENS ON THE FARM MUST BE KILLED AND BURNED OR BURIED.

DANGER OR NUISANCE TO PEOPLE

1. POLLUTION OF WATER- Ground water contamination is a real threat. We are

on the watershed that feeds into the Quabbin Reservoir, which gives water

to Boston and over 30 surrounding communities, The MDS Superintendent of

the Quabbin Reservior has written is a letter stating that " The MDC would

discourage the activity " (of free ranging our birds).

2. DAVALUATION- A major threat to neighbors would be the devaluation of

their land because of the proximity to messy chicken pastures.

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP

OR COULD PRESIDENT BUSH

AFFORD HIS RANDH IN HABBARDSTON?

1. COST OF LAND- Land for free ranging done in the proper way would put us

out of business. Two authentic poultry textbooks * written when free

ranging was THE way both recommend 100 birds to the acre. To satisfy our

67,000 hens, we would require 670 acres. It is doubtful if 670 acres of

organic pastureland are available in Massachusetts. If it were, a modest

price would be $5,000 per acre. This 670 acres would then cost $3,350,000,

a sum that would cause us to face bankruptcy.

2. EXTRA LABOR- We would need an armed border patrol to keep out

predators. Every day would resemble a Giant Easter Egg Hunt as workers

fanned out to find eggs laid in the grass of 670 acres.

A PROFESSOR GIVES HIS APPROVAL

Dr. Louis van der Heide, DVM, Professor Emeritus of Pathobiology at the

University of Connecticut, often visits our farm to check the general

conditions. He has had extensive poultry experience in both Holland and the

U.S. In the 1950's, when he was in Holland, many small egg farms still used

this free-range system. He has read this paper. In his opinion, our hens

are " not under stress and are perfectly comfortable. " We give each bird 1.5

square feet of space, six times the space given in cages. They live in the

floor (not cages) and can fly, hop, scratch, stretch, or snooze as they

wish. Windows allow daylight to enter. For five months a year, the windows

are open allowing fresh air to enter naturally.

SUMMARY

If we were to correctly implement a free-range system, we could not

continue in business.

The USDA Organic Rule 205.239 seems to provide an exception in the wording

of (a)(1) which reads as follows: " (1) Access to the outdoors, shade,

shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, and direct sunlight suitable to the

species, its stage of production, the climate and the ENVIRONMENT. "

Since the threat to the purity of Boston water supply is such an important

issue, we believe that the NOSB (National Organic Standards Board) should

give us an exemption on this ENVIRONMENTAL issue.

Please indicate your choice:

___ NO The Chickens should not be given access to the outdoors

___ YES The Chickens should have access to the outdoors

Name

Address

Phone/email

* Poultry Breeding and Management, Professor JAmes Dryden, Oregon Agric.

College, 1925, pg. 192, 100/acre.

Practical Poultry Farming, Louis M. Hurd, Cornell University, 1939, Pg.

14- 100/acre.

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