A Morale debate on feeding a bird cooked eggs.

My umbrella cockatoo,


The debate:
Is it wrong that i let my bird eat some cooked eggs? She loves the whites of the eggs.
Whats your views? (Btw she's around 10 years old, and has been eating them for most of her life. It's like a delicacy for her, probably once a month)

If it helps, i tell her she's eating eggs, then looks back at me and lets me know how much she enjoys it.

It's quite a common misconception that the egg's we eat are dead chicken fetus'.
The eggs we eat are unfertilized, the hen has not had any interaction with a cockeral, they lay eggs regardless.
Just like the human species.

Technically your bird is eating cooked menstrual fluid, but so do we, I see no harm and no moral dilemma.

reply to post by Anttyk47


Not really an issue, it's protein for her, as well as gives her nutrients she uses.

Not really what I'd consider a moral or ethical issue.

Lovely bird you have, I have a small cockatiel. I never considered trying to feed her egg whites.. I imagine it would be rather good, nutrionally, for her.

Thanks for the idea..

I think it would be wrong if you had sex with it. Feeding it something it enjoys is okay though.









...I should probably stop posting when I'm drinking....

I would consider it wrong if it was an egg of the same species.
If we are talking chicken eggs then I see nothing wrong with it, a bird eating another bird is just as bad as a mammal eating another mammal.

Looooove me some Bacon.

Originally posted by ChukklesTechnically your bird is eating cooked menstrual fluid, but so do we, I see no harm and no moral dilemma.

Um, I don't know a single person who eats cooked human menstrual fluid, so I don't understand this argument. We also eat plant genitalia, but it isn't the same at all.

But do I think there's a moral quandary? No, not really. Now if you were feeding her baked chicken....


In all seriousness, you might do some research on whether this is harmful from a nutritional standpoint. I have no idea.

Originally posted by Chukkles
It's quite a common misconception that the egg's we eat are dead chicken fetus'.
The eggs we eat are unfertilized, the hen has not had any interaction with a cockeral, they lay eggs regardless.
Just like the human species.

Technically your bird is eating cooked menstrual fluid, but so do we, I see no harm and no moral dilemma.

edit on 17-7-2011 by Chukkles because: (no reason given)

AH! you are right.
Man i just hear people get so iffy when they over hear me talking about feeding her eggs. It's really one of her favourite foods! =D

I like your argument sir.

Originally posted by Schkeptick

In all seriousness, you might do some research on whether this is harmful from a nutritional standpoint. I have no idea.

She has little tiny arteries and veins and the cholesterol would clog those wittle blood ways if we always fed her that


reply to post by boncho



LOL!
Go boncho!!

Cockatoos should be provided a balanced diet of equal shares of pellets*, seeds and vegetables with a small quantity of fruits, nuts, proteins, cooked rice, bean mixture and table food like cheese, corn, cereal, pasta, meat etc. *Please note: When feeding pellets to your pet, please be aware of the fact that overly feeding citrus fruits (including oranges) or vitamin-C-rich foods to your birds can lead to "Iron Overload Disease" as vitamin C increases the amount of iron absorbed from foods and supplements.

reply to post by Anttyk47


First I would just like to say you have a beautiful bird. Next, I think it is fine that you feed her eggs. Your bird is getting protein and likes it. So enjoy.

This is the problem with humans, we let our morals get away from us. We are the only species on this planet that lets this sort of thing bother us and either try to push them off onto other people or apply them to another species. Other animals only care about survival of their species, which means eating and reproducing, no more no less. How they accomplish this is simply by doing whatever it takes and they have the luxury of having to not worry about the consequences of their actions. What we may deem cruel, other animals see it as survival.

If they do not care, then why should we. They know more about what is best for them than we do.

reply to post by Schkeptick


We eat the egg whites and the yolk, not human menstual fluid.
But I wouldn't put it past some people. lolol

reply to post by Anttyk47


I can see your 'moral' point, so to answer that directly, no, the bird has absolutely no idea what it is eating. I admit I look at my birds to see if they are watching when I eat, eg. KFC, so I do see where your coming from.

As a breeder, I'd actually suggest you do feed your bird egg, I'd suggest free range simply for the fact it is less likely to have hormones etc in the hens feed.

Being a large bird, I assume it could easily have 1/2 to a full egg. Because it will recognise the shape of an egg, I would mash it up just in case, but dont be afraid to feed it the shell also. It contains just as much good stuff for a bird as the inside & is an alternative to shell grit.

As someone else pointed out, the eggs we buy are not fertilised so nomatter how moral you want to be, its still not a life being taken, your just giving your bird essential minerals etc in a way it loves.

Just keep away from dairy, lettuce & citrus, to name the worst.

I think as long as the bird is aware he is eating eggs it fine, If you were to sneak him the eggs say mashed up with other food then it would be wrong.

Since the bird is informed I see no moral or ethical issues

Glad I could help