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Where do eggs come from?

(24 Posts)
dorsetpennt Thu 14-Jun-12 19:24:52

An article in today's Independent was titled eating Ignorance which was about a survey conducted by a farming charity called Leaf and showed the ignorance some young people showed about their food. For example: some thought butter came from chickens (!!!), milk was from pigs, eggs where grown like maize etc, and had no idea that bacon came from pigs. Either the youngsters were having a laugh on us or should we really be worried.
These weren't huge percentages but nevertheless in this day and age considering all the media available like TV and the internet it is mind boggling.

jeni Thu 14-Jun-12 19:46:07

I knew someone who when they knew where eggs came from said:-
'I'm not eating anymore of those! They came from chicken's bottoms!'

Bags Thu 14-Jun-12 19:59:25

Some people's lives must be very far removed from nature. Sad.

jeni Thu 14-Jun-12 20:23:17

Yep!

Mamie Thu 14-Jun-12 20:23:40

I think I might have more faith in the survey if it didn't start:

"Fewer than half of 16 to 23-year-olds know that butter comes from a dairy cow".

What precisely does "fewer than half" mean?

If someone asked me something as fatuous as that I might be tempted to have a larf too.

Anagram Thu 14-Jun-12 20:31:26

Yes. Me, too!

dorsetpennt Thu 14-Jun-12 23:08:44

Exactly Mamie I thought it a little far fetched that's why I felt the kids were having a 'larf' - thinking just how dumb do they think we are? In the Indie too!

Daisyanswerdo Thu 14-Jun-12 23:20:59

jeni's post reminded me: I heard of someone who refused a slice of tongue, saying she couldn't possibly eat something that had come out of a cow's mouth; she then asked if she could perhaps have an egg instead.

POGS Fri 15-Jun-12 00:12:54

Cadbury's

nanaej Fri 15-Jun-12 19:01:21

Pogs grin

I can't really believe the statistic is true.
I remember asking a class of 4-5 year olds why a farmer keep various animals they gave good answers: cows (milk), sheep (wool), chickens (eggs). It was only when I asked about pigs there was a silence! Young kids don't always associate meat with livestock but hopefully by end of Juniors they have caught on!!!

ninathenana Fri 15-Jun-12 20:57:50

When I read this I said to DH that I thought the students were "having a laf"

Mamie I agree about the "fewer than half" but what about "butter comes from dairy cows"
No it doesn't, the milk that is churned into butter does though smile

vampirequeen Fri 15-Jun-12 21:48:51

You mean eggs don't come from ASDA????

Jams Fri 15-Jun-12 22:09:38

I do know a grow man who had no idea that a cow had to calf before she could give milk - I let it slip into a conversation a couple of years ago and now he won't touch the stuff as apparently drinking breast milk (his words) from any animal is disgusting (he is in his 50 BTW). With adults like that, I am not surprised that there are children out there who have little idea where their food comes from. And having worked with children and young people aged between 5 years and 25, for over 20 years - I doubt if the respondents were 'having a laugh".

Annobel Fri 15-Jun-12 22:19:30

A relative of mine (in her 70s) thought that it was necessary to put a rooster in with the chickens in order to get eggs.

Grannylin Fri 15-Jun-12 22:26:10

When I taught French to Year 7, I dreaded getting to the Unit on food, when " fewer than half" could recognise the fruit and veg in the pictures yet alone learn the French! Also, one boy just wouldn't believe me when I said chips were made from potatoes (well they were in those days!)

dorsetpennt Sat 16-Jun-12 16:46:09

As any chickens I knew always had a rooster with them - Annobel I'm really embarrassed to say I thought they needed a rooster - and I've lived in the country though not on a farm.

Annobel Sat 16-Jun-12 17:14:23

dorset grin

Bags Sat 16-Jun-12 17:23:06

Someone who had grown up on a farm which kept chickens as well as other animals, didn't know chickens would roost in trees if given the opportunity.

You only need a rooster if you want your eggs to be fertile (hatchable). You also need a broody hen. Electronic incubators work too for hatching, but not for chick rearing, so a broody hen is best smile

Anagram Sat 16-Jun-12 17:27:36

I didn't know that about chickens roosting in trees!

Bags Sat 16-Jun-12 17:34:08

I probably didn't (or never thought about it anyway) until we had chickens and some of ours decided to roost in the trees even in horrible weather in spite of having a lovely chicken house.

yogagran Sun 17-Jun-12 11:32:54

At least in the trees they're less likely to get red mite

POGS Sun 17-Jun-12 11:51:15

Have any of you seen the pink eggs chickens are laying in China.
On the news today but I can't remember if B.B.C. or Sky. I tought is it April 1st.

Bags Sun 17-Jun-12 13:45:01

British chicken breed Legbar lays blue eggs.

jeni Sun 17-Jun-12 13:53:50

And very pretty they are. Unfortunately I can't eat them as I have an egg yolk allergy!
It's no yolk for me!