I'm thinking of getting a chicken to raise as a pet, and in turn use her eggs when I would like to.
I refuse to buy eggs from the store, mainly because how battery hens are treated in those factories... and I hear what nice pets they make, and they get along with dogs and I've always thought baby chicks and chickens are adorable and have so much character to them. Does anyone else here have a pet chicken? I think I'm going to do it! I've been wanting to since high school.
My dad has chickens and roosters. any are they annoying when yo are trying to sleep. they start at like 2 am and they just keep making noise. so if you cherish you sleep. or your neighbors, i would not go this route. my 2 cents. good luck with whatever your decision is.
Here's what I found on the internet about the benifits of eating the egg yolk:
The yolk contains 100% of the carotenes, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, E, D, and K. The white does not contain 100% of any nutrient.
The yolk contains more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and 89% of the panthothenic acid. The white does not contain more than 90% of any nutrient, but contains over 80% of the magnesium, sodium, and niacin.
The yolk contains between 50% and 80% of the copper, manganese, and selenium, while the white contains between 50% and 80% of the potassium, riboflavin, and essential amino acids.
And regardless of what people believe about cholesterol, many studies have been done that show just reducting cholesterol does not reduce your risk of heart disease. Why? Because reducing cholesterol has nothing to do with unclogging your arteries. You can have very high cholesterol and clean arteries and your risk of heart disease is virtually 0%. For more information look up these studies on the internet. Also, if you notice the commercials for cholestrol lowering drugs on tv, look at the bottom of the screen and you will read that they have not been proven to reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke, so what is the point in taking them?
Alcest,
My sister and I had pet chickens when we were kids. As I recall, they were fairly low maintenance. The hens did not crow so they weren't a problem in the morning. Both our hens laid eggs without ever meeting a rooster. Of course the eggs were unfertilized and never hatched into baby chicks, but they did provide some great scrambled eggs. One word of warning. Chicken poop is a mess. If you allow your chicken to roam outside a pen, then be prepared. If your dogs are anything like mine they will probably roll in it (or worse).
We have pet ducks that we absolutely adore and they get along well with our dogs. In fact, we have decided that they think they are dogs. They eat dog food with the dogs and they run to the bus with the dogs when the kids get home. They do poop on the sidewalk though. Also, our ducks eat bugs, spiders and I even saw one swallow a mouse hole. Some people eat duck eggs. I tolerate the duck poop, because the other positive things about them make it worth it.
The yolk is extremely high in cholesterol, containing more than two-thirds of the recommended daily limit of 300 mg! However, the yolk has many health strengths necessary for immunity, healthy skin, nerves and vision. The yolk contains good amounts of B Vitamins, Vitamin A, iron and riboflavin.
Interesting Yolk: Many tempera paints, which artists have used for centuries, contain an egg yolk base.
Egg Whites
Egg whites are very low in calories, have no fat, no cholesterol, and are loaded with protein. The egg white is less likely than the yolk to harbor dangerous salmonella, but due to the health risks that raw eggs present, consumption is highly discouraged by medical experts.
Many athletes drink raw egg concoctions, and other than being unsafe, it is not for the 'weak at stomach' individuals.
Based on one large egg:
Egg White 17 calories
Egg Yolk 59 calories
Fried Egg 92 calories
Hard-Boiled Egg 76 calories
Poached Egg 76 calories
Scrambled Egg 100 calories (includes addition of milk in recipe)"
Katrina,
I agree about the cholesterol. Only 20 percent of our cholesterol comes from the diet. Most is created by our bodies. There has not been a study that showed definitive proof that eating foods low in cholesterol will lower your cholesterol - nor has it been proven that high cholesterol foods are responsible for cholesterol problems. Many studies now show that it is inflammatory conditions in the arteries that are responsible for plaqueing.
As far as cholesterol drugs are concerned - since there is money to be made by the pharmacology companies, doctors are going to keep pushing it in spite of lack of evidence that low cholesterol benefits the heart.
Yes, there many different opinions on cholesterol, especially with respect to eggs. Personally, I'm not concerned because I don't like the yolk of the egg and my cholesterol is not high. I added my input mainly in regard to calories and fat for anyone who might be concerned about their caloric intake. I'm one of those people so I just wanted to let others know that most of the calories come from the yoke which, unlike the cholesterol debate, is a proven fact. However, things are always better in moderation so if one loves all parts of the egg, it's not bad to eat it.
