Egg management

Eggs vary according to the species of hen. They will vary in color and size, but the taste and quality is always excellent.
Note the date on your eggs with a lead pencil every day to rotate them.

Freshness test by flotation :

Place an egg in a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats, it is no longer fresh.

Eggs have a very long shelf life as long as the cuticle is intact and the egg is not cracked. Thus, eggs can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 weeks. If the eggs are washed, they should be refrigerated and eaten within 4-5 days. Otherwise germs will have penetrated inside.

If you happen to have too many eggs for personal consumption, you can find good recipes for eggs in vinegar, a preservation method that our grandmothers used in the past. Donating and sharing with your family, friends and neighbors will be appreciated. For the moment, the legislative frameworks of cities that allow 3 to 5 laying hens in urban areas do not allow the sale of our eggs.

It is not recommended to wash eggs with soap and water. Use a dry cloth only to remove debris. The laid egg will have a protective and antibacterial film. (See egg anatomy section).
I recommend that you read this entire article to understand the pros and cons of egg washing and the use of washing in certain cases: To
wash or not to wash eggs?
Should You Wash Your Eggs or not?
:http://blog.chickenwaterer.com/2012/12/should-you-wash-your-eggs.html

Educational Capsule

If you break an egg and see a small spot of blood on it, don’t worry. This is the rupture of a small capillary which breaks when the yolk detaches from the ovarian cluster. It does not affect the quality or taste of the egg.

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Educational Capsule 

If you are lucky enough to break an egg with two yolks, this is called double ovulation. In these cases, you can anticipate these eggs with two yolks because they are often larger.

Educational Capsule

If you find a soft-shelled egg, your hens may be lacking in calcium. Be sure to give them oyster shells. Keep a close eye on their general condition, as certain fungi (mycotoxins) can affect eggs.

Educational Capsule 

To check the freshness of an egg, you plunge it into water. If it sinks, it is fresh. If it rises to the surface, throw it away!

Eggshells as a supplement are undoubtedly an excellent source of calcium. If you absolutely want to give eggshells to your chickens, be aware that eggshells can induce the taste of eating their own eggs. This is a problem that is difficult to control.

The eggshells must therefore be washed, dried, baked in the oven at 200 F for 30 minutes and then finely crushed. My recommendation is not to give the eggshells at all to the hens but to keep them for composting. Oyster shells are safer.

Preservation and freshness test

Refrigerator:
The whole egg in its shell can be kept for five weeks at room temperature (19 to 22 Celsius) from the time of laying without losing quality. Once the shell is removed, the whites and yolks can be kept for two days. Hard-boiled eggs keep for an average of one week.

Freezer:
If required, the whites can be frozen separately for later use. Place them in the ice cube tray, freeze and transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

To freeze the whole egg, mix the white and yolk thoroughly before placing in the freezer in an airtight container.

To freeze yolks, it is recommended to add the equivalent of 1.5 teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup (for four eggs) if you plan to use them in a sweetened preparation, or 1/8 teaspoon of salt for other types of preparations. This treatment will prevent them from becoming lumpy when frozen.

Did you know that our grandmothers kept eggs in the cellar for months by carefully burying them in wheat? The truth is that eggs can keep for almost 8 months if the protective membrane has not been removed. I have been told that sometimes these 8 month old eggs were simply dehydrated. They were used as an egg powder in preparations. 

Winter management tip :

In winter, I give you a tip: a good practice is to make your nests more cushioned. You can put a kind of washable yoga mat in the back, under the shavings. Then, add more rip so that the eggs that freeze are less fragile to break. This also prevents the hens from breaking them by accident and starts eating their eggs…. In the United States plastic pads are sold but not yet available on Amazon.ca. They can be made from old exercise mats.

In the winter, if your eggs are frozen in the nest box, simply place them inside the house, like on the kitchen counter and let them thaw.  Then place them in the refrigerator. Ideally, you’ll be picking your eggs more often.

The red hens in the hatcheries will lay eggs all winter long without adding light. They can lay a little less, but hardly…but they will be healthier if they can take breaks from laying.  Breed hens need this break when the days get shorter to replenish their minerals. Adding white light during the day replicates industry practices that we are trying to stop and that organizations around the world are trying to enforce the needs and behaviors of these species for their well-being.

Summer egg management

In summer, during hot and humid periods, place your eggs in the refrigerator.

Freshness test by flotation :

Place an egg in a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats, it is no longer fresh.

Eggs have a very long shelf life as long as the cuticle is intact and the egg is not cracked. Thus, eggs can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 weeks. If the eggs are washed, they should be refrigerated and eaten within 4-5 days. Otherwise germs will have penetrated inside.