buffie Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Hi All Well I've made the decision and spoken with Jane Howorth, I'm going to Devon for the 2200 hen rescue launch in June.myself and my best friend Pammie. Not going to be easy to see the condition of the girls but we will be able to help. I wouldn't own an eglu and chickens if it weren't for her programme in March which hi-lighted the poor lives of a battery hen. I saw what a wondeful life they could have and I knew I could fall for some girls myself. After considering a rescue bird or 3 I realised I had too many poorly pets myself so healthy girls would introduce me to the wonderful world of hens/chickens and pullets! If you want to help please have a look at www.thehenshouse.co.uk. it shows alot of the politics of battery farm egg production. The farmers are being forced to supply cheap eggs by us and the manufacturers. We buy tesco own brand finest sauces, yep battery eggs, hellmann's mayo once again battery eggs. It doesn't have to be value eggs and chicken to be the last offerings of a spent hen. Please pass on this info and remind friends and family to check packaging and ask at the restaurant or look on the back of your sandwich. A chicken or egg mayo sandwich may well be the spent battery hen or her eggs. Please remember Check labels and even some veggie sausages have egg albumen, waitrose are fine and couldron are fine. quorn suggest checking for vegetarian society mark on their produce as they are now frre range but not all product is on the shelves and could be older stock. Mayo, pasta, salad cream and coleslaw, to name but a few. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Safeway and Asda are at the bottom of the list of supermarkets with either no intention of a no battery hen policy or are all talk and no action. Barn eggs are a big improvement on battery, free range the ultimate. 70% of eggs and products are battery. You make a difference by shopping hen friendly and you can ask for the newsletter and give some to your vets etc. Money can be donated via jane at the website. That's a bonus but shopping habits and spreading the word help so much!!! Thanks and please let us have your support! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Thanks for that Jayne - there is plenty of interesting information on there. Well done for going to Devon in June to help rescue more hens - Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 11, 2005 Author Share Posted May 11, 2005 Thanks Lesley, I know everyone is so pro chicken/hen here and will tell you all about it after the event. I will have to try and keep my emotions in check Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jangle Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Good luck Buffie - I hope it goes well and is not too distressing. The OH and I were thinking that once our current hens have ascended to Hen Heaven then it would be good to foster some ex-battery hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Good on you Buffie hope it all goes well............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Good luck Jayne - however bad they look when you get there, they're going to have a better life after the rescue. That's the thing to keep thinking of. Well done for going down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 11, 2005 Author Share Posted May 11, 2005 Thanks all so much. pammie and I met up today to discuss the trip and what to expect. Just want to get as much exposure about the cause, so any ideas would be appreciated. Jane is getting as much media attention as possible so hopefully this is going to be a big event. Any famous eglu'ers out there get in touch!! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 I'm sure there are some famous Eglu owners but I can't for the life of me think who they are. There was an article in the Sunday Times quite a while ago. The Omlet team could name drop, I'm sure . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 11, 2005 Author Share Posted May 11, 2005 Oh, good thinking, also team 'Omlet' can you help!! Jane was 'VERY PLEASED AT MY CHOICE OF HEN HOUSE AND THE SUPPLIER OF MY GIRLS!' BX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 If you are reading this you may be interesting in this fact 'The British Egg Industry Council said a ban on battery cages would increase the average cost of a dozen eggs from 80 pence to £1' What's 20p... less than a packet of crisps or sweets! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Some people are unable to prioritise though and won't/don't see it that way unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 The people who won't pay the extra 20p are the ones who buy Tesco Value or other supermarket alternative eggs even though they know they come from Battery Hens. Until there is NO alternative, people will still buy the cheap eggs because they are cheap. Same goes for the cheap chicken breasts on the meat counter . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Yes you're right but interestingly most comments I have had suggest people haven't thought about eggs in products and the majority buy free range. It's those that need targetting. Awareness then choice, something like 80% of people would ban battery cages yet 70% come from this source. I hadn't thought about eggs in products until march and I am an animal lover and vegetarian so there are many other's out there. It's lack of consumer info. Just off to let the girls out Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Heinz aren't free range only Linda McCartney's brand. Very polite and someone will call and note my comments. Off to throw my salad cream away! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 The British Egg Industry Council is probably dominated by multinational companies who make obscene profits from the misery of thousands of battery hens I don't think an average cost for an egg of less than 17p is a problem for anyone - eggs will still be one of the cheapest forms of protein and balanced nutrition. So it might add a few pence to the cost of the many products that contain eggs - so what? All battery egg boxes and packaging of products that contain battery eggs should have a picture of some battery hens on it. That might make some more people think twice about the real cost of them saving a few pence!!! Feel much better for getting that off my chest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Too right!! Eggs are a very high source of nutrition and are still cheap. Think how much meat is and 3 eggs makes an omlette. If the most expensive organic eggs are say £1.60 a 1/2 dozen that's the main ingredient for 80p!! A good steak is £4.00. Sorry not eating meat I think that's what i paid recently for steak for a bbq. Anyway you get my drift!!! Good news Charlie has laid her first egg. Grapes all round and they have been out for hours so back into run for a dustbath and preen. Have the flu but the girls have kept me entertained and stopped me thinking I should be doing something. Keep away from those bugs going around. Usually tough as old boots but this bug came via hubby, so must be vulnerable to the same strain. Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Have just taken a very few minutes to email customer services at the 2 supermarkets I use and tell them we are boycotting all products made with battery eggs. Have asked what their current stance on this issue is and what future plans are. I felt it was more meaningful to email the supermarkets I use - they don't want to lose my custom do they? Have also emailed M&S to congratulate them on their ethical stance - not been to their website before but they have a whole section on the welfare of all the animals they use - incase you are unsure, ALL M&S products with eggs in, as well as the whole eggs they sell, are free range. They say they have replaced 450.000 battery hens with 750,000 free range hens Very easy to find the websites with google and the whole thing only took a few minutes - have a go if you have time to spare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Fantastic, that's the way to do it! When I spoke to jane she explained that how ever we feel targeting the farmer isn't going to save the girls. The farmer isn't at fault it's the legislation and demand for cheap eggs. Obviously we wouldn't be egg farmers anyway, we love them and wouldn't see them as a crop and yes that 'show the farmer views them. I have written to all the supermarkets and told Tesco to check my clubcard, I don't use it because I hardly ever visit them anymore and have said nice things to Waitrose, my main store of choice, as they are committed to change and do label! I have asked them to lead the way but as you rightly say M&S are fab on the egg front. Will pop to the site now and have a snoop! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Hi Buffie ..... I had a chat with a farmer today, who hates battery farms/hens with a vengance. I mentioned about the cages being made larger .. and he said they would just try and get away with cramming 2 per cage. We agreed on one thing .. hens are best in a paddock/garden and not even the barn hens are a good substitute . Also, several years ago .... you would pay one seventh of your wage for a leg of lamb for sunday lunch ... could you imagine paying the same out of wages now for the sunday roast . Basically the supermarkets led to supply and demand of cheaper food, and now as a consequence the public expects "cheap" if not "quality" produce .... no matter how it is produced, or even if its local, let alone British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 12, 2005 Author Share Posted May 12, 2005 Oh you are soooo right sarahJo I do believe people will vote with their feet but we need to show them the way!! I will keep telling people the truth no matter what!! The enriched cages are as bad as today's cages the girls suffer the same fate and pain. Check the internet for info it's staggeringly awful. The procedure for slaughter of a chicken is inhumane, sorry but it is. Please help me let people know how wonderful the girls are and how you just cannot treat them this way! Actually this is my reason for the rescue trip, no one can tell me I don't know and I am wrong, this will be my experience and I will tell the truth on my return. We can make a difference! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 I've only just picked up on this thread, but I really felt I had to add my support for everything that's been said. Initially when we first considered getting hens we thought long and hard about getting rescued battery birds, we actually made contact with a lady who does some rescues, it may well have been the same person as the name sounds familiar but I'm not sure now, but it was autumn and there were no rescues planned at that time. Then, on reflection we felt that being totally new to hen keeping we'd be better learning with healthy birds first. I'd still love to do it, but not sure that I could introduce ex battery girls to my 2 now, after reading stories about pecking order and introducing new girls. But I'd thought about the obvious egg products and tried to steer clear, but obviously I'm not reading my food packaging properly. Sausages My shopping trips are going to take even longer now with all the packaging to be re-read. Like everyone else I prefer Waitrose and M&S, but I can't always afford their prices. I do try to get to farmers markets whenever I can, and I'm growing as much as I can myself and preparing meals myself so that I know what's in them as much as I can. I'd not thought of emailing the supermarkets, that's a great idea, now I'm all fired up I'm off to do that too. Good luck with the rescue in June Buffie, hope it's not too distressing, but what a wonderful thing to do. Do let us all know how it goes. Kate A Sage Onion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 Kate A - once you start reading labels it doesn't take as long as you think - probably only the first couple of trips while you sort out alternatives. Good Luck with your shopping. Love the Avatar - hope you don't get any of the 'supersize' eggs though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 13, 2005 Author Share Posted May 13, 2005 Kate A Thanks, these comments make it worthwhile and the important thing is to get your message to the producers and supermarkets. If you send lettters and not just e mail they take it more seriously but anything you can do is great!! I have e mailed Heather Mills McCartney, Paul has no animal welfare links on his website, can't believe that, anyway asked if they can have a littele word with heinz re their products containing battery hen eggs and Linda's don't, just because they couldn't have veg approved label. Linda would be cross about that I think. heinz own Linda M's range now. I can't do this Avatar thing. I go to the gallery and it shows nothing!! I know you have instructions but it's not my bag really, anyone help me. I do want somehting witty to show my personality!!! My posts have been v serious of late and not about it but I am actually a fun person!! Any help will be received with much squawking!!!! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 Jayne - there is help in the Sticky that Kate made - I think it is in 'Need help using the forum?' Have a look at that - there is a step by step guide. Let Kate or me know if you still need help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted May 13, 2005 Author Share Posted May 13, 2005 Thanks Leslie. I admire you all for having th know how!! Bx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
