I guess this is why "Grandma's cooking tasted better )
My chickens are free-range and the eggs really are so much better...when you can find them, LOL!!!


Organic

Organic eggs come from hens that are given organic feed free of animal by-products, antibiotics, and waste. Because of the high quality of the feed, the eggs have rich yellow yolks and a deeper flavor than conventional ones. "The taste is totally special," says Elizabeth Falkner, executive pastry chef at Citizen Cake in San Francisco. "You can see the difference when you compare them with the cloudy whites and weak yolks of conventional eggs."

Bottom line: Because of the higher cost of raising organic chickens, you may pay up to three times more than you do for nonorganic, regular eggs. But you'll notice a dramatic improvement in the taste of dishes such as omelets and huevos rancheros, where the eggs take center stage.

Free-Range/Cage-Free

In theory, hens that spend time outdoors feed on a varied diet of grass, seeds, and insects, and therefore produce richer, better-tasting eggs. In reality, "free-range" producers are required to provide outdoor access, but for no specific amount of time. A hen can be labeled "free-range" even if it rarely, or never, crosses the threshold, says Urvashi Rangan, PhD, director of the Eco-Labels.org Project of Consumers Union. (And many chickens don't; they will often stay inside if not actively nudged out the door.)

"Cage-free" is supposed to mean that the hens have the run of the production facility—though not necessarily access to the outdoors. Ideally, they can lay eggs where they please. Antibiotics and by-products may still be included in their feed. The eggs cost more because a farmer must raise fewer animals in order to give them room to roam.

Bottom line: There is no system to verify free-range and cage-free claims, so it's impossible to be sure of what you're getting. The exceptions are free-range eggs from a farmers' market, which usually come from hens with access to the outdoors and a truly varied diet. "And if the chickens are eating tasty things," Rodgers says, "their eggs are going to be tasty."