According to an article in the April/May 2011 issue of Organic Gardening, many eggs labeled as "organic" do not jive with the typical mental image of happy hens pecking at bugs and grass. The organic label is only a guarantee that the feed was organic and no antibiotics were administered. It does not guarantee the hens were given a good life.
Source: http://www.ethicsoup.com/2010/11/horrific-death-chicken-farms-plan-to-pulverize-live-chickens-in-grinder.html
The article defines the terms you may see on an egg carton:
Cage-free: Chickens are not kept in cages. They may or may not go outside.
Fortified or vitamin enriched: The chicken feed as been supplemented with vitamins or flax. These eggs are supposed to have more Omega-3s.
Free-range: Chickens are given access to the outdoors--However, this could mean one small door for thousands of chickens. Access is also limited. There is not a guarantee that there is grass out doors.
Organic: The feed is organic and there are no antibiotics or synthetic hormones given.
Pasture-raised: Chickens are raised with extensive access to outdoors, and a part of their diet is from grass and bugs.
The answer: "Buy fresh. Buy local."
Source: http://amyonfood.blogspot.com/2010/04/eating-local-small-farms-csa.html
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