Egg storage

[GAFarmGirl87]

Oh, and let me get this straight. If I do NOT wash our eggs (for eating), they will last on our kitchen counter in room temps between 60-80 degrees for approx. 3 wks. Then wash them just before eating? Or place them in fridge at that time after doing the "Floating egg" thing (whatever that is..lol). Lord give me strength. I have soooo much to learn!!!!!

You'll learn lots on this site, not to worry. I've been doing this a nearly a year now, and I am STILL learning!

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

Don't buy them they're so expensive. I needed some and asked for used egg cartons on craigslist in return for a dozen eggs. In less than 30 minutes a nice lady messaged me. She gave me about 80 cartons because she also keeps chickens and people give her cartons all the time.

Good idea! I'll have to try that sometime.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

Attwoods had them for I think $.37 a carton.

Is that a local feed store, or is it online?

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

Me too and I know too much about commercial meat processing. Yuck.

Exactly. I've been helping my dad process deer for 5 years now. We processed our first chicken last fall. Any roos out of the chicks I'm raising this spring I will raise as meat birds. I'll only keep one for breeding. I've already got 2 grown roos in my other pens. I've got another fat roo in isolation until I can get me a cone to nail to a tree. Then he will be in freezer camp.

 

[Triple Willow]

Exactly. I've been helping my dad process deer for 5 years now. We processed our first chicken last fall. Any roos out of the chicks I'm raising this spring I will raise as meat birds. I'll only keep one for breeding. I've already got 2 grown roos in my other pens. I've got another fat roo in isolation until I can get me a cone to nail to a tree. Then he will be in freezer camp.

I've got three roos that will end up in the freezer. I'm thinking about doing some actual Cornish-cross meat birds. I'll have more dual purpose roosters for the freezer before the years is over too. I plan to hatch out more birds about mid-June so I'll have some good winter layers. My pullets laid really well this winter even with the BAD weather.

 

[Triple Willow]

For you new folks... I highly recommend feeding your chickens fermented feed , using deep litter and doing everything as natural as possible (such as deworming and mite/lice control). "Fermented Feed for Meat Birds" thread is a good place to start. Also A LOT of great information here...
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-story-of-gnarly-bunch-chapter-1.html?m=1

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

For you new folks... I highly recommend feeding your chickens fermented feed , using deep litter and doing everything as natural as possible (such as deworming and mite/lice control). "Fermented Feed for Meat Birds" thread is a good place to start. Also A LOT of great information here...
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-story-of-gnarly-bunch-chapter-1.html?m=1

Ahh yes...fermented feed! Been doing that since Oct 2012......I didn't find it till that fall on here, so when I did, I studied up on the process and got my supplies together. It still is a "work in progress"......but they get their afternoon feed of FF. They usually have leftovers in the morning to clean up.
I initially fed them in a pan, but for some reason (I forget), I ended up dumping some outside in their run. They seem to eat it better when it is on the ground for them to scratch. If I do put it in a bowl, they only pick at it, and leave most of it.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

I've got three roos that will end up in the freezer. I'm thinking about doing some actual Cornish-cross meat birds. I'll have more dual purpose roosters for the freezer before the years is over too. I plan to hatch out more birds about mid-June so I'll have some good winter layers. My pullets laid really well this winter even with the BAD weather.

I'd really like like to try out some Red Rangers. I might try those out next year.

 

[GAFarmGirl87]

For you new folks... I highly recommend feeding your chickens fermented feed , using deep litter and doing everything as natural as possible (such as deworming and mite/lice control). "Fermented Feed for Meat Birds" thread is a good place to start. Also A LOT of great information here...
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-story-of-gnarly-bunch-chapter-1.html?m=1

Yes! I just started using fermented feed. Deep litter method doesn't work for the type of set-up I have. But I use chicken poo as fertilizer for my gardens.

Oh, and I also use DE & ACV to control worms, lice/mites. Any wood ash also goes into the runs for them to dust in, along with sand.

 

[kristaleigh]

I do things a bit differently. I wash mine and store them in a wire basket. They last a long time. I don't keep count of how long. I don't mark them with dates. I just make sure I crack them individual and not in my recipe or pan. If it smells funky, it's bad. If there is no smell, I eat it. I hardly ever have a bad egg. But I guess more so during the summer months because I don't collect every day.