Just to clarify, USDA Organic does
not mean free-range, humane handling, small family farms, etc. The organic label simply refers to what went into the chicken (type of feed, lack of antibiotics and chemical exposure). Cage-free is a completely separate issue, and is not synonymous with humane handling. Many "cage-free" facilities are in fact huge factory operations where the hens are crammed into over-crowded barns and pens.
There are smaller egg producers which do a nice job of raising their chickens appropriately. But just seeing "USDA organic" or "cage-free" on a label doesn't tell you this. Consumers need to do their research.
Our eggs come from a small, local chicken farm right outside SF which allows the hens to roam and lay freely. They are fed organically and because they're pasture-raised they also get to eat plenty of grubs and insects, a natural part of the chicken diet. I swear these eggs taste better than any factory eggs from the supermarket with an "organic" label slapped on the side. And because the eggs I buy were harvested fresh that day or the day before, with minimal handling, I'm pretty comfortable giving them raw to my dogs. Shell and all.
