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About Eggs
Boiling Fresh Eggs
If you hard-boil fresh eggs, they can be hard to peel. Here are
solutions that some people have for this problem:
See what works for you. Here's a nice website about boiling eggs
(although it tells you start with room temperature eggs, many people
don't):
How to Boil Eggs
Freezing Eggs
Poultry lay more eggs in the spring and summer than they do in fall
and winter. Some people choose to freeze eggs in ice cube trays for
use at those times. You can place the cubes in resealable plastic
freezer bags and store them for up to 1 year at 0 degrees F. As
needed, remove a few cubes, thaw in the refrigerator, and use
immediately.
To prepare whole eggs or yolks, put the egg yolks and whites, or just
the yolks, into a bowl and stir gently with a fork just to break up the
yolks but not incorporate air. To prevent them from getting lumpy, you
can add 1/2 tsp salt for savoury dishes OR 1Tb sugar or corn syrup
for sweet dishes per cup of eggs. Whites can be frozen without
stirring or adding salt or sugar.
1 whole egg = 3 Tb
1 yolk = 1 Tb
1 white = 2 Tb
Egg Shell Strength and Size
When hens are young, the egg shells are quite strong and the eggs
are smaller. As hens get older, the eggs get larger (many of our older
hens lay eggs larger than extra large), but the shell gland still
deposits the same amount of calcium on the shell, making them
thinner. Also, the hens' calcium stores can become depleted over
time.
To handle this issue, we use feed specifically designed for egg
layers and provide extra calcium supplements. Because our water
and soil are naturally alkaline, and calcium is better absorbed when
the digestive contents are acid, we sometimes add apple cider
vinegar to the water. We also let hens take their natural break from
egg laying, which can help them to replenish their calcium stores.
We have to force our hens originally from a commercial facility to stop
laying by feeding a low protein diet for a month once a year.
While a high calcium diet can be helpful, adding too much calcium to
the diet can cause kidney damage, particularly to our roosters and to
hens who are not currently laying. Chickens who receive too much
calcium can eventually die of kidney disease. Commercial producers
don't have this problem because they kill the hens when they are so
young. On the other hand, thin egg shells can break within the hen
and cause infection, which can kill her. Hens who don't receive
enough calcium can also develop brittle, calcium-depleted bones.
Our primary focus is on the well being of the chickens. A natural
byproduct of this care is good-tasting eggs. We constantly monitor
egg shell quality and make adjustments as needed. We do not strive
for the hardest egg shell possible, but a shell that is strong enough
to protect the health of the hens, and appropriate for the flock as a
whole -- even those who aren't laying eggs.
Egg Yolk Color
The egg yolk color of range poultry can vary depending on their diet.
The more they eat of deep green, orange, or yellow produce, the
more orange the egg yolk will be. We feed the poultry a variety of
fresh seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, as well as weeds, and
they can pick what they like. The egg yolk color can be darker or
lighter depending on the preferences of the bird and what plants they
are eating at that time. Regardless of the egg yolk color, our birds eat
a lot of produce! Customers who are accustomed to eating eggs
from caged chickens who do not have access to fresh produce will
notice a big difference in the egg yolk color. During the season when
the birds are eating orange melons, persimmons, or winter squash,
the yolks are the most intensely orange.
Blood or Meat Spots
Sometimes a blood vessel can rupture while the egg is being
formed (blood spot) or tissue from inside of the hen's reproductive
tract can become caught in the egg (meat spot). We candle the eggs
to reduce the chances that you will find a spot. However, dark-shelled
eggs are harder to candle and occasionally you might find a spot. It
does not affect the edibility of the egg; you can remove it for aesthetic
reasons. It does not mean that the egg has started developing into a
chick, as you would see a network of blood vessels.
Cloudy Egg Whites Versus Spoiled Eggs
Very fresh eggs can sometimes have cloudy egg whites due to
carbon dioxide in the white. Also, sometimes the protein that holds
the yolk together can be stronger and becomes visible in the whites,
causing a cloudy appearance. Whites can also become cloudy if they
were pasteurized, which is unlikely since we hand wash the eggs.
They can also become cloudy if they were stored at temperatures
between 32 and 39 degrees F. As a result, egg producers do not
concern themselves with cloudy whites.
In fresh eggs, the yolk stands up tall, as does the white next to the
yolk.
A spoiled egg can float in water, and the white can have a pinkish or
greenish-blue cast. (Although, sometimes a slight yellowish or
greenish hue can just be from the riboflavin B vitamin content in a
fresh egg.) Do not use eggs that have cracked shells.
If you find a problem with your eggs, please let us know.
Fertilized Eggs
We rescue a lot of roosters who have nowhere else to go, so it's
likely that most of the eggs are fertilized. Roosters are a part of the
chicken family unit. Hens like most roosters, as long as they aren't
too aggressive and there aren't too many in a flock. We don't believe
in forcing the hens to become nuns, but rather strive to preserve their
natural social structure, which we feel is the most humane. Some of
the birds form very strong bonds of one rooster and one hen. It's very
touching, actually.
However, please don't try to hatch the eggs, as they have been
processed for eating and you won't be successful. We don't supply
hatching eggs.
Some vegetarians are opposed to fertilized eggs because they feel
that it means they are killing a bird. In reality, by buying unfertilized
eggs, you are supporting an industry that kills all of the males, often
at hatch. Further, hens can lay hundreds of eggs a year, but few want
to sit on them, so the eggs we sell would need to be destroyed one
way or the other. If a hen really wants to hatch a few eggs, we will let
her. Unlike mammals, where the embryo starts developing
immediately upon fertilization, a hen has to sit on eggs for an
extended time for them to start developing. The eggs could sit there
in the same state for weeks with little change, until a hen decides to
hatch them. So you could think of these eggs as "potential life" rather
than a developing bird.
Nutritional Information
Omega-3 Enriched Eggs
Omega-3 Egg FAQ
Nutrient Value of Eggs
If you hard-boil fresh eggs, they can be hard to peel. Here are
solutions that some people have for this problem:
See what works for you. Here's a nice website about boiling eggs
(although it tells you start with room temperature eggs, many people
don't):
How to Boil Eggs
Freezing Eggs
Poultry lay more eggs in the spring and summer than they do in fall
and winter. Some people choose to freeze eggs in ice cube trays for
use at those times. You can place the cubes in resealable plastic
freezer bags and store them for up to 1 year at 0 degrees F. As
needed, remove a few cubes, thaw in the refrigerator, and use
immediately.
To prepare whole eggs or yolks, put the egg yolks and whites, or just
the yolks, into a bowl and stir gently with a fork just to break up the
yolks but not incorporate air. To prevent them from getting lumpy, you
can add 1/2 tsp salt for savoury dishes OR 1Tb sugar or corn syrup
for sweet dishes per cup of eggs. Whites can be frozen without
stirring or adding salt or sugar.
1 whole egg = 3 Tb
1 yolk = 1 Tb
1 white = 2 Tb
Egg Shell Strength and Size
When hens are young, the egg shells are quite strong and the eggs
are smaller. As hens get older, the eggs get larger (many of our older
hens lay eggs larger than extra large), but the shell gland still
deposits the same amount of calcium on the shell, making them
thinner. Also, the hens' calcium stores can become depleted over
time.
To handle this issue, we use feed specifically designed for egg
layers and provide extra calcium supplements. Because our water
and soil are naturally alkaline, and calcium is better absorbed when
the digestive contents are acid, we sometimes add apple cider
vinegar to the water. We also let hens take their natural break from
egg laying, which can help them to replenish their calcium stores.
We have to force our hens originally from a commercial facility to stop
laying by feeding a low protein diet for a month once a year.
While a high calcium diet can be helpful, adding too much calcium to
the diet can cause kidney damage, particularly to our roosters and to
hens who are not currently laying. Chickens who receive too much
calcium can eventually die of kidney disease. Commercial producers
don't have this problem because they kill the hens when they are so
young. On the other hand, thin egg shells can break within the hen
and cause infection, which can kill her. Hens who don't receive
enough calcium can also develop brittle, calcium-depleted bones.
Our primary focus is on the well being of the chickens. A natural
byproduct of this care is good-tasting eggs. We constantly monitor
egg shell quality and make adjustments as needed. We do not strive
for the hardest egg shell possible, but a shell that is strong enough
to protect the health of the hens, and appropriate for the flock as a
whole -- even those who aren't laying eggs.
Egg Yolk Color
The egg yolk color of range poultry can vary depending on their diet.
The more they eat of deep green, orange, or yellow produce, the
more orange the egg yolk will be. We feed the poultry a variety of
fresh seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, as well as weeds, and
they can pick what they like. The egg yolk color can be darker or
lighter depending on the preferences of the bird and what plants they
are eating at that time. Regardless of the egg yolk color, our birds eat
a lot of produce! Customers who are accustomed to eating eggs
from caged chickens who do not have access to fresh produce will
notice a big difference in the egg yolk color. During the season when
the birds are eating orange melons, persimmons, or winter squash,
the yolks are the most intensely orange.
Blood or Meat Spots
Sometimes a blood vessel can rupture while the egg is being
formed (blood spot) or tissue from inside of the hen's reproductive
tract can become caught in the egg (meat spot). We candle the eggs
to reduce the chances that you will find a spot. However, dark-shelled
eggs are harder to candle and occasionally you might find a spot. It
does not affect the edibility of the egg; you can remove it for aesthetic
reasons. It does not mean that the egg has started developing into a
chick, as you would see a network of blood vessels.
Cloudy Egg Whites Versus Spoiled Eggs
Very fresh eggs can sometimes have cloudy egg whites due to
carbon dioxide in the white. Also, sometimes the protein that holds
the yolk together can be stronger and becomes visible in the whites,
causing a cloudy appearance. Whites can also become cloudy if they
were pasteurized, which is unlikely since we hand wash the eggs.
They can also become cloudy if they were stored at temperatures
between 32 and 39 degrees F. As a result, egg producers do not
concern themselves with cloudy whites.
In fresh eggs, the yolk stands up tall, as does the white next to the
yolk.
A spoiled egg can float in water, and the white can have a pinkish or
greenish-blue cast. (Although, sometimes a slight yellowish or
greenish hue can just be from the riboflavin B vitamin content in a
fresh egg.) Do not use eggs that have cracked shells.
If you find a problem with your eggs, please let us know.
Fertilized Eggs
We rescue a lot of roosters who have nowhere else to go, so it's
likely that most of the eggs are fertilized. Roosters are a part of the
chicken family unit. Hens like most roosters, as long as they aren't
too aggressive and there aren't too many in a flock. We don't believe
in forcing the hens to become nuns, but rather strive to preserve their
natural social structure, which we feel is the most humane. Some of
the birds form very strong bonds of one rooster and one hen. It's very
touching, actually.
However, please don't try to hatch the eggs, as they have been
processed for eating and you won't be successful. We don't supply
hatching eggs.
Some vegetarians are opposed to fertilized eggs because they feel
that it means they are killing a bird. In reality, by buying unfertilized
eggs, you are supporting an industry that kills all of the males, often
at hatch. Further, hens can lay hundreds of eggs a year, but few want
to sit on them, so the eggs we sell would need to be destroyed one
way or the other. If a hen really wants to hatch a few eggs, we will let
her. Unlike mammals, where the embryo starts developing
immediately upon fertilization, a hen has to sit on eggs for an
extended time for them to start developing. The eggs could sit there
in the same state for weeks with little change, until a hen decides to
hatch them. So you could think of these eggs as "potential life" rather
than a developing bird.
Nutritional Information
Omega-3 Enriched Eggs
Omega-3 Egg FAQ
Nutrient Value of Eggs
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 | Keep some in the refrigerator until they're older (getting close to the | |
| Sell By date -- some people recommend five days before). Some store eggs aren't even packaged until they are six weeks old. | ||
| Make a slight crack or hole in the shell, careful to not tear the inner | |
| membrane, before boiling. You can make a hole with a clean pin or tack at the larger side of the egg, or use an egg piercer / pricker. | ||
| Add vegetable oil and perhaps salt to the boiling water. | |
| Add 1/3 cup vinegar to the boiling water. | |
| Peel eggs under cold running water. | |