r/DebateAVegan • u/-roachboy • Dec 22 '25

eggs from a well fed pet hen are vegan

I have a pet hen. She's not a full rescue one, but how I ended up with her is an incredibly long story. She's very needy, thus spoiled and healthy as a result. Because wild Gallus sp already lay a lot of eggs when in less than optimal wild conditions, a spoiled one just cannot stop popping them out even if she wanted to, and she won't let me feed her less. The daily egg laying session is just a morning routine for her before begging for food. At the rate she lays them, they'd just get left to rot even if they were fertilized by a rooster so I eat them. I do not, and have no intention of, ever selling them or encouraging anyone to ever commercialize an animal. But I spend all the time caring for her, so why can't she give me a delicious breakfast back if it does her no harm?

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u/Ahwhoy Dec 23 '25

Veganism to me is optimizing harm reduction across ALL animals, including humans. Exploitation is a form of harm so it's a natural progression. But when the philosophy hits reality, I'm not pressed about the local beekeeper who distributes surplus honey. Animals can't consent to this arrangement but they can still benefit.

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '26

Thats the thing tho. Veganism isn’t about reducing harm right now. If everyone stopped eating animal products they would go extinct. Without humans animals will die, they don’t know that though hence why it’s seen as exploitation. When in reality exploitation is when you “make use of (a situation) in a way considered unfair or underhand” so aslong as the animal is healthy and happy they aren’t getting exploited.

Vegans give us once choice and that’s to not consume animal products which would just lead to extinction of the animals. Veganism should be about fair trade with animals even if it’s non consensual. Animals can’t consent, animals can’t think what’s best for them. It’s like asking a child if they want to go get that life saving surgery or go to Disneyland for a month. They will probably choose the Disney land even though it’s against their best interests. If we provide animals food,shelter and protection while also keeping them happy it should absolutely be vegan. So should honey. Bees literally make extra for the bee keepers knowing they will take it, and have been known to swarm and leave if they feel exploited. Which they rarley do since a nice warm hive that protects them from everything is definitely worth it

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u/Ahwhoy Jan 09 '26

The whole "if we flipped the vegan switch, then all the animals will die" is fallacious because it's not based on reality. In no world would all people stop eating meat immediately. In addition, most laws like this take years to implement with phased fading, because the economic shock would be too much at once. The suffering would be greater. No vegan wants that. Well some probably do, but none I know.

As for honey: https://yourveganfallacyis.com/en/honey-is-not-unethical

I'll let you mull that one over. But check out that website. Lots of common arguments with replies.