Free run vs. free range: What’s the difference?

When we bring up the free run vs free range argument, it is typically referring to poultry and eggs. To keep things simple, I’ll refer to free run vs. free range as it relates to eggs because this is where we most often see labels like free run, free range, and also cage free, vegetarian-fed, enriched colony, vitamin enhanced, and organic. But the rules still apply to any poultry product.

WHAT IS FREE RUN

Free run eggs refers to chickens that have an “open concept” living area inside a barn. Free run does not automatically mean that chickens have any access to the outdoors. Additionally, free run does not give any indication to how big the space is that they are living in nor how crowded that space is. The free run label is not regulated.

WHAT IS FREE RANGE

Free range eggs on the other hand refers to hens that have access to the outdoors when weather permits, which is only seasonably available in Canada. The free range label is not regulated in Canada so there is no way to tell how much access hens actually have.

FREE RUN VS. FREE RANGE

If you HAD to choose between two different cartons of eggs in the grocery store - one being labeled free run and one labeled free range, I would choose the free range option. At least this way, you can be sure that hens have had access to the outdoors and can forage when possible.

CONVENTIONAL EGGS

So you know what free run and free range eggs are. What about the regular run-of-the-mill eggs in the grocery store? These eggs come from hens that are kept in small cages for their whole life, in crowded unsanitary conditions, with beaks often cut to keep them from pecking the cages and each other, fed a cheap unhealthy feed of grains that contains antibiotics and pesticide residue. The barns often have no windows and no natural light. These eggs you want to avoid if possible.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR EGGS

The best eggs that you can buy are eggs from pastured chickens that are fed a supplemental organic, preferably soy free feed that is not medicated. If it’s not certified organic, that’s fine. Some farmers grow their own feed that does not go through the certification process.

HOW DO YOU FIND THESE EGGS?

Talk to a farmer! Visit a farmers market. Go to a health food store. Get to know the people that are labouring for better food and find out how the chickens are raised, how they are fed, and what kind of conditions they are living in. It may seem strange to be asking this at first but farmers get it all the time and if they are doing the right things, they take pride in the quality of their product.

NUTRITIONAL DIFFERENCES

Believe it or not, there really is a nutritional difference between all the different types of eggs that you buy. Organic free range or pastured eggs have a more ideal nutritional profile than that of eggs from conventionally raised hens. Free range eggs are shown to have higher levels of omega 3, slightly higher levels of essential amino acids (AA) as well as non essential AA’s (like glutamine), vitamins and minerals, lutein, choline, and vitamin A. This study published by Frontiers in Nutrition suggests that individuals that consume organic eggs rather than conventional have lower levels of inflammation in the body (Mesas et al., 06/2022). Researchers suggest that this could be due, in part, to the higher levels of carotenoids (precursor to Vitamin A) in organically raised eggs. This same study also notes that there is no antibiotic exposure from organically raised eggs and lower levels of salmonella exposure (Mesas et al., 06/2022).

Yes, organic, pastured eggs are more expensive than conventional, however, they are still affordable - especially if you buy right from the farmer. On top of that, you’ll be supporting the people that grow good food.

REFERENCES

Mesas, A. E., Fernández-Rodríguez, R., Martínez-Vizcaíno, V., López-Gil, J. F., Fernández-Franco, S., Bizzozero-Peroni, B., & Garrido-Miguel, M. (2022). Organic Egg Consumption: A systematic review of aspects related to human health. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.937959