F.A.Q.s
F.A.Q.
All our farmers live in Pennsylvania on their own family farms. Because we offer four types of pasture raised eggs, each farm has a different focus: Pasture Raised Organic, Original, Soy & Corn-Free and Duck. The ethical treatment of animals is core to our mission of creating a better world so all of our farms are Certified Humane except for our duck farms since Certified Humane has yet to set a standard for the humane treatment of ducks. That said, our ducks are given the highest level of humane care and we look forward to the day that standard exists so that we can proudly put the Certified Humane seal on our duck egg cartons too. You can learn more about our farms here.
Our pasture raised eggs come from about 30 farms located in Lancaster County and surrounding areas and the number of Utopihen farms is constantly growing! This is important because the more family farms Utopihen can bring on, the more opportunities we can create for small farms who, in many ways, are focused on creating a better world together with us — and with you. For example, our pasture raised farmers are passionate about sustainable farming and many use regenerative agriculture practices in service of ensuring a brighter future for generations to come.
Utopihen’s farms are also Certified Humane, except for our pasture raised duck egg farms. That’s only because Certified Humane has not yet finalized the standard for the ethical treatment of ducks. As soon as that happens, you can bet our duck farms will also earn the official Certified Humane seal — and we can’t wait to put that seal on our duck egg cartons.
Above all, our pasture raised family farms are aligned with Utopihen’s larger purpose of creating a brighter future, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with them on the journey.
Here’s our most recent numbers:
Pasture Raised Organic: 15
Pasture Raised Original: 7 farms
Pasture Raised Soy & Corn-Free: 3 farms
Pasture Raised Duck: 4 farms
No, our eggs are not pasteurized. Because everyone has a different use for them, we leave it to you to decide whether or not your eggs should be pasteurized. Pasteurization is the process of killing pathogens through heat. This can be done safely from your own home. Because most people are going to be using eggs in cooking or baking, pasteurization is not necessary. The only time you would need to pasteurize eggs would be if you were using them raw. If you plan on making eggnog or your own mayonnaise, then you might want to pasteurize your eggs first to make sure it is safe.
Pasture raised is a management system where the hens are kept on pasture year around. They have access to the pasture for at least 6hrs everyday (weather permitting). They are kept indoors at night for protection from predators and for a safe place to lay their eggs in the nests. The minimum outdoor space requirement to meet Animal Care Standards for Pasture Raised is 2.5 acres per 1000 birds or 108 square feet per hen. We exceed the industry standards by giving our hens 110 square feet per hen!
Yes, we do! Our soy-free eggs are also corn-free, thanks to the feedback from consumers and customers like you.
Yes, these ladies are given up to 110 square feet each and consume some feed and lots of grass, bugs, worms and anything else they can find in the dirt. They can forage, run, perch, bathe and socialize as much or as little as they choose. Essentially, they can just be a chicken.
Utopihen’s pasture raised chickens are from several breeds – Hy-Line Browns, Bovan Browns, or Novogen Browns and our pasture raised ducks are a breed called Khaki Campbell — one of the most popular breeds in the U.S. They have a fascinating history that goes all the way back to Gloucestershire, England in the late 1800s and to a woman named Adele Campbell who wanted to keep her family constantly supplied. But whether they are our chicken or duck hens (female ducks are called hens too!), they play a starring role in our journey to a better world as the only egg-laying members of our UtopiFAM.
A hen’s diet and lifestyle make a big difference in the nutrient density of the eggs they lay. So, we pay close attention to both. Here’s what each of Utopihen Farms’ hens are fed — and what they get to snack on:
Utopihen Pasture Raised Organic — Our pasture raised organic hens are fed a purely organic diet. That means feed that contains no genetically modified foods, animal by-products, synthetic chemicals and pesticides or hormones. Additionally, our organic hens never receive antibiotics, and because they’re pasture raised, they have plenty of space to spread their wings and spend their days out in the fields where they get lots of sunshine, shade and water; and are able to nibble on all the plants, worms and other bugs they love to eat.
Utopihen Pasture Raised Original — Our pasture raised hens spend a lot of time in the pasture, so part of their diet includes the plants and insects they forage for when outside. Their pasture raised lifestyle is supplemented by balanced, healthy feed (sometimes specially formulated by our farmers) that includes grains, plant-based proteins and all the vitamins and minerals hens need for health.
Utopihen Pasture Raised Soy-Free — Utopihen’s pasture raised soy-free hens are fed a soy-free diet that makes their eggs ideal for those with soy allergies or anyone who has made the decision to eliminate soy from their diets. Our pasture raised soy-free eggs are also non-GMO for two reasons: First, soy is often genetically modified, which means by eliminating soy from a hens’ diet is a good way to ensure their eggs are non-GMO. However, eliminating soy alone is no guarantee. That’s why we also choose feed that contains no other genetically modified grains or ingredients.
Utopihen Pasture Raised Duck — Our pasture raised ducks are fed a well-balanced diet design especially for ducks and also enjoy spending days in the sun where they can snack on grass whenever they want. We also make sure they eat only non-GMO feed, so the duck eggs we deliver to you are non-GMO as well.
So, for right now, the short answer is duck eggs already cost more than chicken eggs. We don’t want to increase the price you pay when we already use only non-GMO ingredients in our duck feed. New Hope Network, a highly respected organization that’s fully committed to natural products and which organizes the largest natural products food tradeshows in the U.S. (Natural Products Expo West and Natural Products Expo East), put out an article a few years back explaining the difficulty of attaining non-GMO project verified status which explains the challenges of attaining non-GMO project verified status even better, as well as why companies like Utopihen are often better off not choosing that route. It’s an interesting read and we highly recommend it!
Utopihen Farms Pasture Raised Eggs are Certified Humane and our hens (both chicken and duck) enjoy life in small, family flocks, roam freely and graze on grassy pastures, pecking on plants, worms and insects like hens would naturally do in nature. We also give our hens even more space to spread their wings with 110 square feet per hen, exceeding industry standards. In short, pasture raised hens are healthier, live low-stress lives and all of this results in eggs that taste better and are more nutrient dense. Research shows that compared to conventional eggs, pasture raised eggs have:
- 1/4 less saturated fat
- 2X more omega-3 fatty acids
- 3X more vitamin D
- 7X more beta-carotene
Additionally, Utopihen Pasture Raised Soy-Free Eggs have 6x more vitamin D than conventional eggs. This is not only due to the time they spend in the sunlight (which all our pasture raised hens do), but also because soy tends to deplete vitamin D and the diets of these are completely soy-free as well as non-GMO. Finally, Utopihen Pasture Raised Duck Eggs are larger than chicken eggs (typically extra large or jumbo and come in a mixed sized six pack) and their yolks are larger too. Their larger size overall, along with their larger yolks, means they have more nutrition per gram compared to chicken eggs. For example, duck eggs have 7 to 9 grams of protein compared to 6 grams in chicken eggs — and the larger yolk results in higher fat content, so duck eggs have more omega-3 fatty acids at 100mg compared to 37mg in chicken eggs.
Duck eggs tend to be larger than chicken eggs and contain more nutrients than chicken eggs. For example, they contain 7 to 9 grams of protein, 100mg of Omega-3 (compared to 37mg in chicken eggs), and all eight essential amino acids. The duck eggs also have larger egg whites than chicken eggs which makes them perfect for using in baking.
Duck eggs taste very much like chicken eggs, only richer and creamier. Of course, the taste differs for different people. For example, some say duck eggs taste exactly like chicken eggs – only more so, while others can’t sense too much of a difference. As with all eggs laid by hens, the taste also depends on the duck’s own diet and, at Utopihen Farms, we make sure it’s a healthy one.
Stored in the refrigerator, eggs last about 6 weeks past the time they were placed in the carton or 3 to 4 weeks past the “sell by” date stamped on the end of your carton. While some experts say eggs last much longer (and while we do agree with those experts, as long as the eggs are stored properly), we encourage you to follow the “sell by” date guidelines.
The color of the yolk can be affected by several factors (the season, the age of the flock, even the health of the hens). Utopihen Farms is committed to bringing you the highest quality Certified Humane pasture raised eggs available, so we’re very grateful you shared this information with us. Can you please let us know the type of eggs you bought (Pasture Raised Organic, Original, Soy-Free or Duck), where and when and the information printed on the end of the carton (you can also send us a photo) so that our Farm Coordinator can check in with your egg’s farmer and take a look at the egg yolks from that flock. We’ll get in touch with you to let you know the eggs are healthy and, if there are any concerns, we’ll let you know that as well. In our experience there is rarely a problem, however, you and the health of your eggs matter deeply to us.
In support of Utopihen’s journey to create a better world together with our customers, our cartons are made from 100% post-consumer paper which is biodegradable/compostable and reduces pressure on forest production. As a next step on our journey, we will soon be switching to a truly one-of-a-kind planet-friendly carton that’s made from 50% grass fibers and 50% post-consumer paper. We expect that change to happen in late 2021 or early 2022 and even though our current cartons are good for the planet already, we’re very excited to soon be able to pack Utopihen Pasture Raised Eggs in a carton this unique.
Yes! We searched far and wide (seriously all over the world) for a carton company that produced a truly good-for-the-planet carton — the cartons themselves are made from 100% post-consumer paper and the labels are compostable/biodegradable.
Eggs are a fresh food and, therefore, have a shorter shelf life. Unlike, let’s say, canned foods. So, the reason the year is not on the carton is because the shelf life will always be much less than a year.
We do! We always place the eggs with the wider end (called the air bubble end) facing upwards because it keeps them fresher longer. Plus, if you love deviled eggs as much as we do, storing them wider end up centers the yolk, making for a prettier, balanced deviled egg that’s easier to eat too! Here’s a good blog post with more helpful information on this topic.
