High levels of lead found in backyard chooks

We’ve been told for decades free range chickens and eggs are the best option, but not all free range eggs are created equal.

Research has found backyard hens’ eggs in some of our capital cities contain, on average, more than 40 times the lead levels of commercially produced eggs.

Almost half of the hens in Sydney alone had significant lead levels and their eggs contained lead at levels that may pose health concerns for consumers.

If you are concerned about the lead in your soil, you should visit Vegsafe which details how to test your soil or send sample to a commercial lab. If your soil is too high in lead the chickens should be removed immediately and the soil replaced if possible.

2 comments

Glad I live in a regional town then. Our backyard eggs are delicious and should be free of toxins.

Research has also found that the number of free range eggs for sale as compared with registered free range egg suppliers means that each hen is laying 3.8 eggs per day.

2 comments



To make a comment, please register or login

Preview your comment