Chicken Memorials

[buffie]

Hi for those who have shown an interest I thought I'd post this and give you the latest offenders using battery eggs. You can add to the list of goodies or baddies so everyone gets to know what to avoid buying or buy freely!

 

 

Battery eggs

Hellmanns

Heinz products (Linda McCartney ok)

Ben and Jerry's premium Ice Creams!

 

Bx

[Louise]

Hi Buffie,

 

I worte to the Helmanns woman last week and have not yet had a reply. I also asked her to consider using only UK Free Range eggs as we have just about the highest welfare standards anywhere and our farmers need the support.

[buffie]

well I've had a reply and they say they use barn eggs and that's not what I have heard so will have to check this.

 

Lets see what they say to you. Well done though. Yes support british free range farmers and help the battery farmers make a living as free range farmers.

 

 

Can't believe that the premium brands use battery eggs. Profits above animal welfare. The old response comes out that "the standards are humane according to current legislation". Could we put the director in a cage and see if he likes it, not able to scratch his bum!

 

 

Can I say b*m?

BX

[buffie]

Sorry, Hi louise how are you?

 

:bx

[Louise]

I'm fine Buffie. Don't start me on welfare issues My ex husband was a butcher for years and he did his bit ie he sold organic free range chickens and I think some organic pork but most people while they support the need for the welfare standards they don't want to pay for it they would rather eat watery semi processed chicken from abroad because it is so cheap He wouldn't have survived in business as long as he did if he only sold the good stuff as the people actually willing to pay the difference were few and far.

 

In fact I think we are all here

 

I rarely eat any meat but chicken these days myself (sorry chooks)

[buffie]

I don't eat meat or chicken, oh phew say my two girls!! Anyway I just think people should think about what they feed themselves and their children. Nothing against meat or those who eat it. I eat fish so it's a choice thing.

 

I think consumers are willing to pay a little more for real food. Jamie Oliver has lead the way and now Paul Rankin helping the elderly iwith their diet. The message is getting out there.

 

Bx

[motherhen]

I can't believe Ben & Jerrys have battery eggs in them.

I shall be in withdrawl

Although perhaps this is the push I need to source some locally produced icecream - I think there are a couple of companies making it up in the north on a farm scale basis - I'll be able to check on their hen status but probably will be organic free range

 

Re the cost of organic and free range meat - the answer is just to have slightly smaller amounts and use cheaper cuts. When cooked properly these are actually superior to more expensive joints I think. Next time any of you fancy a beef casserole, buy shin of beef instead. Much cheaper and if you cook it on a low heat for 3 - 4 hours it is absolutely incredible. You'll never buy expensive stewing steak again. Another good cut for stewing is skirt.

 

My Great Grandmother had 20 children (some died as infants) and was a miner's wife so I have inherited a lot of recipes that make a little go a long way and taste gorgeous.

 

I think Hugh's meat book has some recipes for the cheaper and less popular cuts of meat.

[buffie]

Try green and blacks ice cream so thoroughly gorgeous and organic so hen and cow friendly!!!

Bx

[Louise]

You are so right about cheaper cuts of meat Jane that is one thing I learned a long time ago most people like expensive steak but if I eat it I always go for rib eye not because its cheaper it has more flavour

[Jangle]

What am I going to do without the occasional fix of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia?

 

Still, I am trying to eat more healthily at the moment so this is the ideal time to give it up and eat frozen yoghurt instead.

[Sheilaz]

Hear, hear everything said so far. Congratulations on maintaining a balanced view on choice for all, whether veggie or not. Its great we all agree on the important things without anyone trying to impose an extreme view.

Trouble is, a big change really does need to go top down.

 

Someone very worried about their budget (ie large proportion of population)really will find it hard not to see supermarket "economy" range as a cheap option, whilst it is available.

Yet, presumably none of the top 4 supermarkets are likely to want to go out on a limb and pave the way to offer only "real" meat & eggs. In fairness, how could they? Imagine Tesco giving up all those customers who would then go to cheaper Sainsbury, or vice versa.

Whilst Waitrose try to get this right, they are a partnership & their customer base is different.

 

One of the big 4 could succed with a good marketing campaign, but their focus at the moment is definitely price war.

Still, radical changes can be brought about. Perhaps a few Jamie Oliver style programmes tackling this area, educating population about the reality, and challenging the shops to reassess, could have supermarkets forced to consider a different emphasis.

Meanwhile, our little drops in the ocean will hopefully join up & make a difference, esp. as we tell anyone who'll listen!

[buffie]

Yep Sheila, I agree.

 

It's so refreshing that different view points can share so much without judgement.

 

I like meat eaters, my mum and dad are!!

 

The point with eggs is really it's about getting new legislation in place because people don't want the battery system (70% of the uk population). 20p per dozen on a dozen eggs is a splash in the ocean. I have prioritised my food shop as being the most important so I have to give other things up.

 

People are starting to learn they can't have it all. I know my clients are chosing nourishment over some little luxeries because they want to look after themselves and their families and feel responsible for welfare. Any small measures make a difference but hey I'm telling you and you are all doing it anyway.

 

I would rather stay home and have fun here than pay pub prices, having stopped smoking this year I don't enjoy as much anyway because it smells!!

 

A meal out is a nice treat!!

 

Bx

[Louise]

You have made a point there buffie. Lots of people say to me I can't afford to eat better but they smoke, go to the pub and generally have all mod cons satellite TV, playstations, designer clothes. I on the other hand would rather eat healthy and have a fantastic sickness record Yes I go out and have fun just not every week a meal out is still a treat and a takeaway is a rarity

[Lesley]

What am I going to do without the occasional fix of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia?

 

Still, I am trying to eat more healthily at the moment so this is the ideal time to give it up and eat frozen yoghurt instead.

 

Try making your own Janet - if you have a food processor.

 

Chuck in frozen raspberries and some caster sugar, throw in a good dollop of yoghurt and blitz - One Minute Raspberry Ice Cream!

[Jangle]

Thanks Lesley - I will give it a try this weekend

[motherhen]

Have just spent a long time on the Ben & Jerry's website and can confirm that they do not use free range eggs. They say their egg yolk supplier sources from farms that meet USA welfare requirements - well we all know what that means. Having read their socially aligned sourcing and social mission action statements I think that it is just something they haven't considered before. Well I have written an email pointing this out to them and warning them that they are on boycott lists and getting lots of attention about this because non of us can believe they support battery hens.

 

If I get a reply, which I doubt now the company is owned by unilever, I'll let you know.

Yes I'm annoyed

 

I can look down and see Sybil and Pollo and just imagine their distress if they were suddenly shoved into a battery cage. It makes me sick just to think about it.

[Jill]

I am definitely going to try the raspberry ice cream, sounds fantastic and so easy.

 

Very pleased about Green and Black's ice cream as well as it is delicious.

 

To be honest I had eaten free range eggs for years but had never really thought about the eggs that went into processed food Feel really bad and will be more careful in the future.

[Katie]

hello!

well i got my reply from tesco about the use of battery eggs in their products...his letter back was such a waste of time! he basically avoided my very constructive points i made about the food with the battery eggs in, and just talked about the eggs they sell, saying that all their eggs are produced to very high standards and that in no circumstances would any hen be kept in bad conditions. he didn't once say anything about chaging over to free range eggs in their products. they probably just sent me out a standard letter that they send to anyone who complains about their eggs.

[Cate in NZ]

I got my reply from Hellmans today, too long to copy it all out, so I'll just type in the pertinent bits. Starts of saying they work with high standard EU egg producers etc, continues ..."It is also important to highlight that there is insufficient farm capacity at this time to sustain support (sic) the Hellmans business with free range eggs.

In addition our ongoing consumer research into this area shows that consumer interest in a free range Hellmans product is currently too small to support a free range option.

I hope that you are reassured to learn that we will continue to keep both our sourcing policy and consumer preferences under regular scrutiny".

 

 

Well, this consumer found "Simply Delicious" brand of organic mayonnaise made with non GM ingredients and free range eggs last time she ventured into the local sainsbury's (hate supermarkets usually, go occasionally), so my preferences need no longer concern Hellmans. Just off to search my cupboards for all Unilever products. If this is their attitude I am sure that I can rid my kitchen of a lot of their portfolio of products. I'm just getting into green cleaning, so watch this space- I'm pretty sure I could have a Unilever free home within a week

[buffie]

Yes what a load of c***. Interestingly there may be a chnage of heart from hellmans but we'll wait and see. The negative publicity will soon affect sales I'm sure. The best thing we can do is tell as many people as possible. I've emailed friends to tell tehm to please check their cupboards but I'll not bully them. I'm asking about all products in restaurants etc and the hidden eggs are every where.

 

Will post about the rescue very soon and also have more time to check forum. Missed it!!

 

bx

[Lesley]

'Hidden' eggs are a problem if you eat Veggie. when out in cafes etc. aren't they?

[steph & alex]

hi i may sound a bit stoopid but i can't see the benefit of manufacturers rearing battery hens. i mean if you have, say, 20 hens, you still need to feed 20 hens whehter they're in a field or in a box. do battery hens lay more eggs? i'd thought they'd actually lay less because they'd be stressed & unhappy. am i missing something here?

also on the subject of what we eat, i was a vegetarian for 10 years (from age 7 to 17) but gave up when i became pregnant with my first child because i became seriousley anemic. i still eat meat (my son's just turned 5) although not very often but i don't eat fish for the simple reason that i believe our seas & oceans are becoming very overfished. cod is becoming endangered, yes really. there have been 2 shark attacks in florida about a week ago & it's rare to have 2 attacks so close together. i believe it has happened because there isn't enough out there for them to eat.

just my opinon

[Sheilaz]

I suppose if someone has a barn with a 100 hens, but they could cram 1000 batteries into it, then that's how it comes about.

The sad chooks still lay as that's just what their bodies are used to, and nature takes over.

Change could either come through much tougher legislation, or more slowly, by consumer demand, or possibly by retailers demanding better standards (if consumers demand it!)

In one way, Hellman's may have a point in the letter reply to Alpe family; free range production may not be geared up to providing the quantity that we would like to see supplied. That is a big area to address...after all, who is going to go into free range in a big way unless they are certain of a profit? Again, it would help this cause if a few big maufacturers or retailers took it on to provide incentive & support to set up new sources.

Its a bit chicken & egg really isn't it?!

[buffie]

Hi there sheila

 

The main area to change is our shoping habits. Battery cages supply cheap eggs, simple. The hens lay although weak and often ill because they are hybrid, cross breeds who lay consistantly. Also the light is artificial in the battery farm, no daylight just lit to make the hens lay 3 eggs in 24 hrs. The supply of free range is not large enough to supply all manufacturers BUT when the consumer refuses to buy products with battery eggs this tells the farmers they can afford to turn into free range egg producers because the manufacturers cannot source cheap eggs abroad as we still won't buy. He/she will sell their eggs!!

 

This is how we best change the egg production in this country, it isn't the farmers fault he/she has to earn a living.

 

Also remember a hen in a cage is unlikely to go broody, so production is high. We have to pay a bit more and allow the hens to behave naturally and not need to be fed a diet of mash and antibiotics. Also they are full of red mite, just the thought of the quality of the eggs is enough to turn your stomach. If you saw the worn out hens for yourself you really would see that they are the waste product of battery hen production. Used for 12 months and then sent to slaughter, replaced by new healthy birds, too thin for a roast but just enough meat en mass to make some cheap dog food, chicken pie or baby food.

 

Please ask questions, it's great to get the facts and also check out the website for further answers, www.thehenshouse.co.uk

 

Bx

[Cate in NZ]

I agree with Sheila that Hellman's possibly have a point about not being sufficient suppliers yet, but can't see why they won't try it. For instance launch a new range alongside the current one, make it a premium line maybe, charge a little extra, and really play on the free range aspect

Then they could monitor sales. Of course any business is going to go where the biggest consumer demand is, I wish that ethical farming and healthy animals were high priorities, but they're not. And some people will always buy cheap, simply because it is cheap, with little concern about production methods, and that attitude isn't going to change. Even some of my work colleagues are of the attitude that an eggs an egg, and what's so special about mine when they can get Asda SmartPrice eggs for less than 50p 1/2 doz Leaves them with more money in their pockets for booze and fags

I don't understand or agree with them, but they think I'm nuts keeping chickens & buying organic veg etc. I can't see an easy way round, hopefully media interest such as Richard & Judy might get some people thinking. And instead of Jane Howarth being featured in the Times, nice tho' that little article was, she needs exposure in the Sun, Mirror et al. She could go on page 3 with some very exposed battery hens breasts on display for an original slant. OK I'm getting carried away and a bit silly, sorry, but on this forum, and in the generally well educated and not s"Ooops, word censored!"ing by on the breadline readership of the Times, we do generally all share the same pespective.

In the bigger picture we're struggling with appalling obesity stats, and soaring diabetes etc, how do you educate people to actually care about their food, what goes into it, and what, ultimately they're shovelling into themselves?