I understand where Andrea96 was coming from about not eating eggs, but there are other alternatives. You don't have to give up eggs completely to be a vegetarian -- you can eat artificial replacements, found in the dairy aisle of your store, or you can eat free range eggs.

Free range eggs come from chickens that do not live in cages, and they usually eat organic food.

In her article, Andrea96 said that the hens' beaks are are cut off with a hot blade -- it sounds like it would really hurt, but this does not actually hurt the chickens. It's much like getting your fingernail or hair cut.

Yes, I know that there are some farmers who do cruel things to chickens, but not all do that. I have friends who raise chickens that are older that she got from a chicken farm. They are put in a good home, not killed.

Andrea96's article talked a lot about PETA2. This is a major organization, but they tend to only tell one side of the truth -- their side.

Love ya!

Editor's Note: While reading up a little on egg alternatives, I came across these sites... the Times is not sponsoring them or anything, just sharing some info I picked up:

http://www.boomercafe.com/Eggs.htm -- These folks say "egg replacements" are normally made of eggs! Is it true?

http://www.eggbeaters.com/products/faqs.jsp

http://www2.niaid.nih.gov/Newsroom/FocusOn/Flu04/egg.htm -- Wow, flu vaccines grown in eggs!