Just imagine for a second, a different world. One, where primarily females are allowed to live and males are killed as soon as they take a couple breaths. Imagine a world where females were valued purely for their reproductive capability and just a few males were kept to aid with that reproduction. This, is the story of the egg industry.
umm...
If this was your reaction, then it was pretty similar to mine. With a fact as cruel as this, it makes you wonder how something like this could go under the radar for years, worse yet, decades. And of course, that's quite intentional, because that wouldn't make for very good marketing.
What they put on the crate:
The Reality:
This seemingly small and insignificant action is only where the manipulation begins. They plant this idea in your mind of happy animals moving around freely and laying eggs for fun.
Now, I used to believe that chickens just naturally produced eggs, much like I thought about cows and their milk. Those beliefs though, while they fundamentally are true, is not exactly what is taking place. These chickens are basically 'engineered' and bred to produce the maximum number of eggs possible. Upwards of 200 eggs can be laid every year from a single chicken, which is around 20x more than they naturally would. While they do, the hens slowly wither away as all their nutrients go into egg production and their bodies begin to cripple from a lack of nutrition. See the photo above.
By now, we know that there are many, many casualties of this industry, namely the male chicks; but the egg-laying chickens aren't exactly living a long and prosperous life. Females are de-beaked, meaning that they have their beaks cut or burnt off, in order to avoid them hurting themselves or others; which would be the result of the conditions they are forced to live in. Once their reproductive capabilities begin to slow, (around 2 years, give or take) they are swiftly disposed of and they go on to become some inferior meat product. Think sausage, minced meat, pet food, etc. Their usual lifespan is around 5 - 10 years.
Are eggs even healthy?
That one depends on who you ask. There is a lot of misinformation out there and purely for those reasons I won't comment on this one.
What can you use instead?
There are many of alternatives out there that aren't as conspicuous that come without the depressing backstory.
For Baking -
Mix 1 tablespoon flaxseed with two tablespoons of water
A mashed ripe banana
Check out a comprehensive list here.
If you're craving omelette or scrambled eggs check out this delicious chickpea omelette recipe here.
Conclusion
Eggs, while innocent looking on the surface, are quite controversial once you take a peek behind the curtain. There are certainly better options than participating in mass murder, that would be beneficial to all those involved.
Sources:
https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/are-eggs-healthy-what-are-the-facts/
https://www.youtube.com/watch/7uw5c5kSVr4