Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between the egg types?
One thing’s for sure: all of our eggs are laid by happy, healthy hens. But we do specialize in different types of eggs so our customers can make the best decisions for their pantries.
Cage-free
Our cage-free girls are fed a vegetarian diet and have total room to move within the barn 24 hours a day. Each hen has free access to vegetarian feed, perches and nest boxes for laying eggs. Absolutely no cages are allowed.
Free range
Our free-range hens are housed in cage-free barns but also have outside access at least eight hours per day while temperatures are above 45 degrees. Our roaming area offers lush vegetation and safe cover from predators. Our free range hens enjoy dust bathing and foraging in the dirt.
Pasture-raised
Our pasture-raised chickens enjoy the same conditions as their free-range sisters but are required to have flock sizes no larger than 6,000 hens and more roaming space per hen (102 square feet each).
What makes an egg organic?
Wilcox eggs are organic because we care about the health of our chickens, our customers and our planet. Organic eggs are free of chemical pesticides, GMOs and antibiotics. This means our chickens don’t need antibiotics because they don’t live in cramped, disease-prone spaces. Nor do they eat genetically modified feed or feed that is sprayed with toxic pesticides.
What is the difference between your cage free vs. the industry cage free?
As a family farm, our cage-free facilities provide a wonderful life for our chickens. Unlike cage-free factory farms – where hens can actually be locked up and live in barns packed together – our hens have access to the outdoors and are free to roam 100 percent of the day. We also have more caretakers per chicken. Factory farms assign one caretaker to every 250,000 chickens and we have one for every 20,000. That’s over twelve times more love and attention.
How are your hardboiled eggs peeled?
Once our delectable hardboiled eggs are ready to become ready-to-eat treats, they take a ride on a conveyor belt and tumble gently into a metal box, where they are first cracked. Then they fall into a ridge belt and are peeled by two rubber rollers turning against each other. The magic of friction frees them of their hard shells. As the eggs descend from the rollers, our staff workers examine the eggs for quality, removing remaining shell bits and damaged eggs. Once peeled, they take a brine bath and are packaged for you to enjoy on the go.
What certifications does Wilcox have?
Where can I buy Wilcox Family Farm eggs?
We distribute to a number of stores throughout the western United States. Check out our store locator to find the store nearest you.
I can’t find your farm-fresh eggs in my favorite grocery. What do I do?
Your local grocer is eager to carry products that customers request. We suggest asking your store manager about stocking our line of delicious eggs.