Why Are Eggs From Your Chickens Always Better

What Makes the Difference?

The hens raised in poultry factories live their lives in a small cage about the size of a small locker. They are born, live and are slaughtered inside and never get to explore the outside world. This is not a natural environment for the hen to live in and the stress of that type of living can affect the hen’s egg production and quality.

We will talk about stressing chickens a little later on, because a chicken can actually be stressed to death. This is just one factor that affects the taste of store bought eggs.

These hens eat from a continual conveyor belt that brings them a multi-grain mix of feed. This commercial grade feed will often be treated with chemicals like preservatives and pesticides. The truth is that a hen’s diet will play a big part in the taste of the eggs they produce.

In those cages, the diet of the hen is virtually flavorless and lacking in essential proteins. Hens need protein and other nutrients from insects, worms, grass and other treats they can dig up. But we will discuss a chicken’s diet later, too.

To combat the rightly deserved image of the chicken locker storehouse, some big egg production companies have begun using the “Free-Range” label on some of their cartons. It implies that the eggs in the carton you are about to purchase were laid by hens that have wandered happily through the fields digging up insects and eating grass. Unfortunately, that is not entirely accurate.

What you may not be aware of is that for the term, “Free-Range” to be used, all that is required is that the chickens have access to the outside.

Many of the hens don’t actually get outside, and the ones that do are confined in a small area. It is simply a way that many companies use to make you feel better about the product you are buying.

Color

Eggs come in a variety of colors depending on the breed of chicken you are raising. Most of us are accustomed to the white eggs we buy in stores. Eggs can also come in green, brown, blue and maroon. While some people insist that one colored egg tastes better than another, most cannot tell the difference in taste. We will discuss which breeds lay what color eggs later.

How Long Do Eggs Stay Fresh?

If you are plucking the eggs from the nesting box on a daily basis, those eggs will remain fresh right where they are for up to ten days. I wouldn’t recommend this if you have roosters though. In fact, in most countries, eggs are not refrigerated; they are stored on the counter and used within a week or so. In many countries the eggs are so much older, refrigeration is essential to ensure you aren’t eating bad eggs.

Storing Eggs

If you are into food storage there are a number of ways to keep the eggs edible for extended periods of time. One simple way is to take fresh eggs and with a pair of plastic gloves rub each of them with a thin layer of mineral oil. This way, you can store them without refrigeration for several months. Place them in a cool dark place wash the oil off of the egg prior to cooking and eat.

There are two other methods for preserving eggs for eating. You can choose to freeze the eggs. Just remember it takes about three days of refrigeration for a frozen egg to thaw enough to cook. Or, scramble the eggs in a frying pan, cook them until there are no runny parts to it and place the finished product into a dehydrator. The powdered eggs can then be mixed with milk or water and cooked. Dehydrated eggs can be stored for several months.

How to Determine if an Egg is Fresh

From time to time, you will find that ‘lost’ nest of eggs that appear to have been there for some days. So how do you know whether to eat those eggs or place them in an incubator? It is very easy. Fill a medium sized bowl with clean water. Place each egg into the water gently. If the egg stays at the bottom of the bowl, it is fresh. If one side of the egg tilts upward, it should still be edible. We ate plenty of those.

If however, the egg floats to the surface of the water, it means the egg is bad. Gently lift that bad egg out of the water, place it gently into a plastic sealable sandwich bag before discarding it. Bad eggs can ‘explode’ with the slightest pressure and the smell is extremely unpleasant.

Tip: If you have roosters, some of those eggs that remain at the bottom of the bowl may have a fully developed chick inside. That is, if the eggs have been there long enough and you haven’t been collecting them daily. Trust me, that is a very real possibility.