>Some packages claim the chickens that lay these eggs have "free access"
>to the outside "natural flora and fauna" -- hmmm, I wonder what that
>means when it's too hot or too cold outside or maybe too easy to walk
>over to the "prepared" food tray?

        i don't know where you live, Grant, but did you ever consider
keeping your own chickens?  we did, and it was fairly easy.  the chicks we
had were refugees from a 3rd grade science experiment, and even though where
we live is a suburban area, and not zoned for livestock, none of the
neighbors ever complained about it.  of course, we only had hens, not
roosters, so that helped.  if you are going to raise chickens, you need a
rooster, but if you just want eggs, the hens will lay them for you every day
without a rooster.
        the chickens had free run of our 1/2 acre yard every day, and ate
lots of grubs, earwigs, weeds, and just about everything.  except for when
there was snow on the ground, then i had to feed them grains from the feed
store.  the chicks are fairly cheap to buy, about $1 each, and we just built
them a little wooden house behind the garage to live in.
        they really are easy, and you know for sure your eggs are 'organic,
free-range', whatever .

JoAnn.