While I can understand concerns about factory conditions for egg layers, is there anyone who believes there are ethical issues around eggs produced in the decidedly non-factory conditions of my backyard? I've been somewhat amazed by just how easy it has been to raise them so far and would advocate anyone who wants to enjoy eggs should give it a go.
Regarding milk: Yes, I'm in agreement, for most adult humans the soy / almond / oat / etc options are perfectly good, apart perhaps from baking.
Fish is the one area I don't personally see a good substitute, until the market tells me it is too expensive to continue eating.
Yes. Hens in a natural setting (a backyard human controlled setting is not natural) would lay about 25 eggs in a whole year. If you do not collect the eggs from your birds, this should be what you observe, unless these are selectively bred birds who may lay more eggs. If you calculate your three dozens a week as a per-bird number (which you haven’t mentioned), it would likely be many multiples larger.
Egg laying is a physically taxing activity for the birds. Not being able to brood over the laid eggs is another issue if you agree that these birds are also capable of feeling emotionally (even if not directly comparable to humans).
Soy and almond have high levels of phytoestrogens. This encourages obesity, breast growth (including in males), and cancer.
Oat isn't quite so bad, but it has high levels of phytic acid, an antinutrient.
More should try to reduce meat consumption and avoid supporting factory farms.
Or rather, holds the same moral views as you hold.
Egg + milk vegetarian is quite easy and satisfied any meat cravings, where when I try to eat vegan I feel lacking.
I know there's the whole morality behind chicken eggs and milk, so I don't see vegetarian as the end destination for anyone who cares about ethics/morals.