Martin Parr retrospective. Düsseldorf NRW Forum. Until 10.11.2019
20. September 2019A lot of art. Very compact. The art fair Art Düsseldorf 15 – 17.11.2019
11. November 2019Millions of chickens lay billions of eggs
In Germany there are around 46.9 million hens, and they lay almost 15 billion eggs. A gigantic quantity. And they are not even enough. Egg consumption in Germany has reached an absolute peak of 19.5 billion eggs in 2018. That’s too abstract a figure and hard to imagine? Well, converted to per capita consumption, the order of magnitude is no less impressive. In 2018 there were 235 eggs per year and person in Germany (source: BLE. Statistics and reports).
Eggs are definitely one of the most popular foods in Germany. And the trend is rising. Over the last ten years, average egg consumption per capita has increased by 13% compared to 2008, i.e. by 27 eggs.
Is that still healthy?
And by that I don’t mean the question whether the consumption of eggs has an unfavourable effect on the cholesterol level, and whether they are supposedly “unhealthy” and “harmful” or not. Here it depends on the entire nutrition, but physicians and nourishing scientists can answer that meanwhile very well and differentiated. And meanwhile it is also no longer the alleged “cholesterol bomb”, but rather the pollutant load by medicines, dioxin or insecticides, as for instance two years ago the Fipronil scandal.
In the meantime, however, the actual keeping of chickens, the handling of animals, is increasingly being discussed. Too many animals in too confined a space, too little light, no exercise area, bare plumage, shortened beaks and shredded male chicks. Everyone has probably seen these oppressive pictures before, but in many cases they have probably forgotten them when buying their next box of eggs. But only what remains in focus can – hopefully! – also turn for the better.
“Poor chicken – poor mankind”
In the literal sense “harmful” is in any case the catastrophic, no longer at all animal-fair chicken keeping, which developed from our mass consumption. Because on mass consumption mass animal keeping takes place. And the “laying batteries” and large-format “egg factories” have absolutely nothing in common with the supposedly “happy” chicken. Although exactly those are gladly shown on the egg cartons. Obviously, food must be available at any time, in any desired quantity, and above all without much effort and at a reasonable price. And the price for the requirement, it must be above all completely favorable, is finally paid by the animal.
By the way, in 1950 a hen laid about 120 eggs a year, as a “farm animal”, in 2017 such a hen “creates” 298 eggs in the meantime, which is simply more than double the amount. Raised, crammed in, frequently ill, injured and always under extreme stress, these hens produce eggs, which are then partly sold at a selling price of 0.12 € in the shop. And if one makes oneself clear that also with this price calculation still someone makes profit, the animal definitely has to pay for this. An interesting documentary on ARTE shows how complex the egg and chicken market is, and how many, even global (!) players are at work here: “Poor chicken – poor mankind”
From “happy” chicken
I can only guess what the proverbial “luck” of chickens is. But if you consider that chickens living in freedom prefer nothing more than scratching, picking, walking around and exploring the surroundings, bathing in the sand and looking for food, and actually spending about 40 to 60% of their time eating, then this should be an indispensable requirement for animal-friendly environment.
If you look at the pictures on the egg cartons, whether conventional, organic, barn or field, the pictures always look like the pure “chicken heaven”. In short, more information is needed here. The Stiftung Ökotest does not only give a lot of background knowledge here, but has also looked a whole series of suppliers very closely under the eggshell.
For our breakfast at the hotel, we attach great importance to knowing exactly where our food comes from. And if at all possible, we prefer local suppliers. Well, on the Lower Rhine, and with a whole range of farms on our doorstep, this is an easy task. Actually, there is actually quite a bit on offer. Even eggs. But not all eggs are the same. And it is all the better if you can convince yourself personally by a visit that the “happy” chicken on the egg carton and on the Internet is not only a photoshop and Instagram suitable ideal version.
“Chicken mobile” eggs
We get the eggs for our breakfast from Gut Kaiserhof. A farm in Wittlaer, so to speak “around the corner”. What makes them so special? Apart from the really great taste? The chickens actually live a free life. In the Chicken Mobile. What is that? This means that the chickens live in a stable on wheels that is set up on a meadow. The chicken mobile is regularly moved to new meadows so that the chicken always get fresh green fodder. The pollution of the areas by the chicken is low. With that, also the danger that the chickens get infected with diseases.
And so that the hawk or the fox doesn’t get the chicken, two goats live as “bodyguards” with each herd. And the goats take their mission very seriously and make it extremely successful. For since the goats have been there, no chicken is missing in the morning. Also people, who come for the first time and probably do not belong to the herd, are looked at first once critically. It simply makes you feel good to look at this unusual coexistence. And the peaceful chuckling of the chicken by the way sounds very comfortable. Almost like a little holiday.
And only for info
We don’t get percentages or discounts from Gut Kaiserhof or other manufacturers. And we choose all our products ourselves. We pay all products at full price and do not enjoy any special treatment. But we are simply of the opinion that we should talk about good things that convince us.