Picking ethically sourced eggs can be a real challenge when there’s dozens of labels with vague meanings. This is intentional. The intent of slapping the words “fresh” or “natural” on an egg carton is to conjure up a beautiful image of chickens frolicking on wide open pastures in consumers’ minds. This can be a reality, but in most cases it’s not.
Egg Ethics
When layer hens (and other birds) are truly happy and cared for, the relationship between farmer and hen is symbiotic. The hen is provided with a protected space to lay eggs, food & water security, shelter from extreme temperatures, sick treatment and safety from predators. This is something I never considered as a vegan. I viewed the relationship as one-sided because the farmer receives eggs and, eventually, a chicken meal for his family. It took me awhile to accept that there was more than this. In an ideal situation, chicken and human can benefit from each other’s existence.
Sadly this isn’t usually the case though. Most chickens in the U.S. don’t spend their lives on wide open fields with plenty of vegetation. And since not everyone has the option to raise their own chickens or go down to a small family farm, it’s critical that we have transparency from farmers.
Third Party Certifications
This is where third party certifications come into play. The purpose of third party certification programs is to set a standard for what is and isn’t permitted for the egg company so that the consumer has some transparency. You’ll find these labels on the outside of an egg carton, making shopping at any grocery store easier.
But third party certification isn’t EVERYTHING. A farm that isn’t third party certified doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an inhumane farm. In the same respect, a farmer that is American Humane Certified, for instance, may not trim the beaks of his chickens even though he is permitted to. This is why it’s important to know the conditions and welfare practices of your local farm. The guy up the road from me doesn’t have a third party certification, but I know he takes good care of his chickens and I can see them outside all day long.
Before we get to certifications, take note of these other labels you’ll likely find on the outside of the egg carton:
Non-GMO
Hens are fed a non-GMO diet.
Vegetarian
Hens are fed a diet free from animal byproducts (ie. ground up chicken). This doesn’t necessarily mean the hens are vegetarians. Ironically, chickens are not natural vegetarians. If given outdoor access, they are likely eating worms and insects, which are a natural part of a chicken’s diet.
Natural
This has no real meaning. All eggs are natural. The “natural” label is only important when it comes to meat and poultry.
“Farm Fresh”
Mean absolutely nothing.
“Happy Hens”
Again, this means absolutely nothing.
No Added Hormones
Hormones are not allowed to be used on chickens in the U.S., so this is a given.
Antibiotic-free
Hens are not administered antibiotics unless administered by a vet. USDA organic eggs are antibiotic-free.
Organic
Only legit if USDA organic, which means hens are not in cages and have access to the outdoors, though there are no space requirements. Hens are fed an organic diet without conventional pesticides, fertilizers or antibiotics. Without the USDA label, there’s no way to know that the “organic” label is legitimate.
Cage Free
Hens are not kept in tiny cages. This does not mean they are given space to move or that they are granted outdoor access.
Free Range
Hens must have outdoor access. Sounds nice, but it’s very vague and poorly regulated. A fenced outdoor space with no room to move can qualify as free range.
Pasture Raised
Hens are given access to vegetation-covered outdoor space. The problem here again is there is no way of knowing how often hens get outdoor access and how much space they get. The only way you can truly know if your eggs come from pasture-raised hens is if it comes with a third party certification. If you can find this, THIS IS YOUR BEST OPTION. See below for third party certifications that have pasture-raised options. Vital Farms is Certified Humane Pasture-Raised, one of the best standards to be given.
*Note that I did not investigate added growth hormones because growth hormones are not permitted for use in chickens in the U.S., so this is a given for all egg companies.
Cage-free | Beak cutting prohibited | Forced molting by withholding feed prohibited | Use of a natural light cycle | Housing monitored for cleanliness | Hens have outdoor access (6+ hours/day) | Outdoor living vegetation required | Antibiotic-free (unless treated by vet) | Organic | Humane Slaughter Standards | Free to engage in natural behaviors | Indoor space given per hen | Outdoor space given per hen | Farm Compliance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(1st) Animal Welfare Approved ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Scratch areas 3. Perches 4. Nest boxes | 1.8 sq. ft. | 4 sq. ft. | 100% of standards must be met | |
(3rd best) American Humane Certified (Pasture) ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Scratch areas 3. Perches 4. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | 108 sq. ft. | Only 85% of standards must be met | ||
American Humane Certified (Free Range)![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Scratch areas 3. Perches 4. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | 21.8 sq. ft. | Only 85% of standards must be met | ||
American Humane Certified (Cage Free)![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Scratch areas 3. Perches 4. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | Not Specified | Only 85% of standards must be met | ||||
(2nd best) Certified Humane (Pasture Raised) ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | 108 sq. ft. | 100% of standards must be met | ||
Certified Humane (Free Range)![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | 2 sq. ft. | 100% of standards must be met | |||
Certified Humane (Standard)![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Dust baths 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1 – 1.5 sq. ft. | Not Specified | 100% of standards must be met | ||||
Food Alliance Certified Level 4![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Scratch areas 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1.23 to 1.75 sq. ft. | Not Specified | Depending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met | ||
Food Alliance Certified Level 3![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Scratch areas 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1.23 to 1.75 sq. ft. | Not Specified | Depending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met | |||||
Food Alliance Certified Level 2![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Scratch areas 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1 to 1.5 sq. ft. | Not Specified | Depending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met | ||||||
Food Alliance Certified Level 1![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Nest boxes | Not Specified | Not Specified | Depending on criteria, 75-100% of standards must be met | |||||||
United Egg Producers Certified (Cage Free)![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | 1. Scratch areas 2. Perches 3. Nest boxes | 1 to 1.5 sq. ft. | Not Specified | Only 90% of standards must be met | |||||||
United Egg Producers Certified (Standard)![]() | ![]() | Not Specified | 67 to 86 sq. in. | Not Specified | Only 90% of standards must be met |
Concluding Remarks
Now that you’ve been given all the information, it’s up to you to decide where your ethics lie and what you feel comfortable buying. Here’s the top 3 certifications with the highest standards for laying hens:
Note that it’s possible you get different results for the welfare of other animals (ie. pigs, cattle, etc.). I’ll be exploring this next!
References
Labels:
A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare (awionline.org)
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/04/06/eggstra-eggstra-learn-all-about-them
How to decode egg labels – Certified Humane
AWA:
Laying hens standards for the Animal Welfare Approved by AGW seal. (agreenerworld.org)
Certified Humane:
Comprehensive Standards Comparison Chart – Certified Humane
American Humane Certified:
Layers Cage Free Full Standards.pdf
Layers Free Range and Pasture Full Standards.pdf
Our Standards (humaneheartland.org)
United Egg Producers:
UEP Certified third party audits verify program compliance – United Egg Producers
CF-UEP-Guidelines_17-3.pdf (uepcertified.com)
Caged-UEP-Guidelines_17.pdf (uepcertified.com)
Food alliance: