Whats The Difference?: Eggs

So 'cage free' doesn't mean the same thing as 'free range'. In Australia, there are currently no consistent or legally enforceable definitions for egg production systems. However, the below definitions are the most accurate we can find.

Caged: we all know this one — hens are kept in cramped cages (often in spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper) and terrible conditions. Sometimes the barn is artificially lit to maximise laying activity. Hens can be debeaked (have the tip of their beak sliced off).

Cage free: this is interchangeable with 'barn laid'. Hens are not caged but kept in locked barns. This environment allows them marginally more space to roam but density can still be as great as nine hens per square metre. Barn laid eggs can be RSPCA-approved.

Free range: hens have access to outdoor areas during daylight hours (minimum eight a day), are sheltered from rain and sun, and there should be a maximum of 1500 hens to a hectare. However, this code isn't legally enforceable so producers can have, for example, 10,000 hens per hectare and label themselves free range. Free range eggs can be RSPCA-approved.

Certified organic: these eggs come from farms that meet the standards of the best free range facilities; note that certified organic is different from simply 'organic', which could just mean the hens are fed organic grains.

If you want stats based on Australian brands, choice.com.au has compiled a handy guide to buying free range eggs.