Storm in an egg cup?

6FIEND:

 

...I have lost track of the number of people who have told me that they pay extra for these "free range eggs" because you can see and taste the difference!  (Now I'm trying desperately hard to avoid an "egg on face" pun...)

 

 

 

Certainly some do taste different, if you get them fresh off a private farm. Not sure about supermarket eggs though.

Going to be a lot of sad caged chickens right now with no market for their eggs....hope SPCA keep an eye on this or MPI.

SWMBO's solution to the moral conflict of buying eggs:

Cost of chooks, chook house, fencing, feed, assorted care products was enormous.
Still waiting for our first egg - had better be solid gold - not plated.

 But look how happy they are.

These NZ free range chickens look relatively happy  

That place is a chook resort. I will look for their eggs. 

Sidestep:

 

These NZ free range chickens look relatively happy  

 

mattwnz:

 

I don't really know much about this case. But from the headline, I wouldn't be surprised if things like this go on all the time in all industries, especially with imported stuff. The problem is a lack of policing. We have all these laws, which makes it costly and difficult for all those who do things correctly. But things aren't fully tested, and it is almost self regulating and , bottom of the cliff' stuff, where  the public end up finding the problem. I think we really need to look at how things are done. This may not be helped by a lack of competition in the supermarket area. This is because growers have less competition as to who they can sell to,  meaning growers have to cut costs. Going from 3 big supermarket chains , down to two, was one of the biggest mistakes the gov made for consumers and producers. We desperately need to go back to 3 big operators. The mobile telco industry shows how important having a third operator is for consumers.

 

Remind me who the 3rd was?

I dont believe there is room for a 3rd player IMHO. A 3rd player would have a huge set up cost (land/buildings/supply chain/warehousing), which would in turn cause pressure on its suppliers as the 3rd player would want to be competitive which means wholesale discounts which then turns itself into a price war which isnt good for suppliers (espcially local) as the pricing pressures bring down the market and lower profits for all and for most local suppliers the margins are already way tight. 

I doubt you'll get a third player. Resource consents will be a nightmare. No one will want a chicken farm set up next to them, free range or otherwise. 

I see Inghams and Tegel were rapped over the knuckles for full chicken weights including the stuffing and trim, hence making a size X chicken, actually a couple of sizes or more less as far as the chicken is concerned.

kiwifidget:

 

I doubt you'll get a third player. Resource consents will be a nightmare. No one will want a chicken farm set up next to them, free range or otherwise. 

 

Matt was talking about a 3rd supermarket chain not chicken farm :-) 

@Fred99  ( I can't quote your messages that have an image for some reason, last issue was a Trump graph)

Ballpark figure to setup the chooks? I've been thinking of that. We have an orchard type area out back fenced by fences and hedging, that also has 2, maybe to be three raised vegetables gardens. Plenty of room for chooks to free range amongst the 6 fruit trees and the vacant middle area. Hundreds? a grand? Or two? 

tdgeek:

 

@Fred99  ( I can't quote your messages that have an image for some reason, last issue was a Trump graph)

 

 

 

Ballpark figure to setup the chooks? I've been thinking of that. We have an orchard type area out back fenced by fences and hedging, that also has 2, maybe to be three raised vegetables gardens. Plenty of room for chooks to free range amongst the 6 fruit trees and the vacant middle area. Hundreds? a grand? Or two? 

 

Those chooks were expensive as pullets - getting close to $50 each average x 8 = $400.  I think I've spent about $1500, but they're very pampered with luxury hen-house. If you just want eggs, you could do it for a lot less.  They have an area about 8 x 5m fenced off with 1.8m waratahs and 1200mm mesh - more than they need.  They will destroy your vege garden if they can get in. Have auto-feeder so no feed that birds or rats or mice can get to easily, auto watering which is just nipples you can buy on TM for a few dollars each screwed in to the sides of 20l pails.

I was quite happy if we got brown shavers for eggs, but SWMBO wanted "heritage" chooks.  I'm kind of converted, a couple of the breeds we have are houdan and araucana - supposed to be quite good egg layers, but as well they have really nice natures - they love to be picked up, patted, hand-fed, so already have become pets. It's quite nice to check them, give them some treats, or just sit with them clucking around. Eggs a bonus, eventually, I hope....