Many Questions about eggs

[ForFlocksSake]

My first of 5 has started laying this week. A (about) 20 week old Rhode Island Red. So far she's a rockstar and has laid an egg pretty much every day since. They're small, which of course I expect this early, with very strong shells. I am, however surprised by the yolk color. I thought it would be more orange? theyre yellowish yolks just like store bought. They definitely taste better but I thought rich orange yolks was what you get from fresh eggs. Is this an age thing? or are my expectations incorrect?

Another question I have - Do people wash their eggs prior to cooking? I have been keeping them on the counter and then rinsing/rubbing them right before I cook them. Is this even necessary if they're clean looking? Its just one pullet right now laying and I am very vigilant about keeping the nesting boxes clean, so the eggs look very clean when I bring them inside. I see all these "enzyme" cleaners online and don't know if this is just marketing or something that people do.

and last question- should I save the shells and feed them back to the girls? They already get oyster shells and I will be switching to layer feed as soon as I run out of grower. Most days they get leftover scrambled eggs (store bought for now) from my kids never finishing their breakfast. I read that some people crush and mix the shells in scrambled eggs and feed it back. Is this really beneficial or should I just compost the shells?

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Yolk color is affected by diet. You can "dye" them with marigold, foods high in beta carotene, etc. but it doesn't change how they taste or anything. Personally I find super orange yolks to be a bit offputting...

2. You don't need to wash clean looking eggs at all if you don't want. Since you're keeping them on the counter, washing before using as you're currently doing is safe. Do not wash in advance and leave on the counter as that removes the layer of bloom that keeps bacteria out of the shell. I refrigerate my eggs unwashed, and only wash ones that are noticeably soiled or just before soft/hard boiling (because I don;t want bits of bedding floating around the pot).

3. You can save shells and feed back to the flock in addition to oyster shell (or in lieu of, only if using layer feed) if you want. Some birds take to eggshell more readily than oyster shell. Do NOT mix it into the scrambled eggs or other feed/treats, they need to be able to regulate intake themselves.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Layer feed isn't the best feed. It's formulated for high Production breeds/layer hybrids(Leghorns, Isa Browns, Golden Comets, etc..)

Better to stay with chick feed, a Flock Raiser, or an All Flock feed with oyster shells set aside.

Unwashed eggs are fine on the counter. If washed they'd need to be refrigerated.

Want rich eggs, enhance their diet. Include bugs, or free range them occasionally.

 

[TaylorGlade]

1. Eggs will last longer in your fridge. And I wash mine before eating them. They are ok on the countertop unwashed, but last longer chilled.
2 yolk color is influenced by diet. You can add marigold to their feed but it's more cosmetic.
3. I compost my shells, but you can definitely break them up and feed them. Just make sure to crush them.

 

[nuthatched]

Dark yolks are a sign of vitamin A which is turned into beta carotene. You could dye them or just give treats high in vitamin A. But, not all birds translate that to dark yolks. Mine don't lay orange yolks either.
I don't give my chickens scrambled eggs since I try to limit the fat in their diet, I just bake the shells, put them in a sack and crush them. They will need more than egg shells though.

 

[Penpal]

If they have access to grass and weeds they will lay eggs with sunshine yolks. If they don't forage, you can add store bought parsley to their feed.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I keep mine on the counter and “wash” with water and a paper towel when I use them. Once you wash them they need to be used or refrigerated.
I feed Flock Raiser crumbles with oyster shell on the side, higher in protein.
The yolks will be oranger in free range birds but I honestly don’t taste a difference

 

[Ponypoor]

My first of 5 has started laying this week. A (about) 20 week old Rhode Island Red. So far she's a rockstar and has laid an egg pretty much every day since. They're small, which of course I expect this early, with very strong shells. I am, however surprised by the yolk color. I thought it would be more orange? theyre yellowish yolks just like store bought. They definitely taste better but I thought rich orange yolks was what you get from fresh eggs. Is this an age thing? or are my expectations incorrect?

Another question I have - Do people wash their eggs prior to cooking? I have been keeping them on the counter and then rinsing/rubbing them right before I cook them. Is this even necessary if they're clean looking? Its just one pullet right now laying and I am very vigilant about keeping the nesting boxes clean, so the eggs look very clean when I bring them inside. I see all these "enzyme" cleaners online and don't know if this is just marketing or something that people do.

and last question- should I save the shells and feed them back to the girls? They already get oyster shells and I will be switching to layer feed as soon as I run out of grower. Most days they get leftover scrambled eggs (store bought for now) from my kids never finishing their breakfast. I read that some people crush and mix the shells in scrambled eggs and feed it back. Is this really beneficial or should I just compost the shells?

Congratulations on your ulcer laying

1) Yolk colour - I find that if the chickens are housed and feed mainly a commercial feed, and don’t have access to eating other items such as bugs, grass, weeds, seeds, frogs, mice, the odd snake…. then the yolks are more yellow. The orange colour is found more in free range ladies.

Do you free range your chooks? Can you free range them for an hour or so each day if not?

2) washing eggs. I spot clean my eggs for any poopies, or if an egg breaks and the contents make the other eggs dirty. If they are really dirty after they are washed I keep those for myself. I sell eggs so I don’t want stains on them. After they dry (I dry with towel) and then let finish air dry before placing in carton - I then refrigerate.

I do not wash eggs that are otherwise clean prior to cracking and cooking. FYI always crack your eggs in a bowl prior to cooking in case you get an egg shell in there, or if the egg is otherwise contaminated. It’s also a great way to inspect the egg contents itself prior to cooking - I check eggs to see if they are fertilized, if the yolk is orange, how plump it is, the whites, the cords on either side of the yolk, any blood spots in the egg, how strong the shell is to crack… all are indicative of hen health.

3) feeding egg shells. I sometimes will, but the amount of calcium they get from the egg shell would not be as much as from oyster shell. But it’s a good way to recycle the eggs, you can ‘cook’ the shells to get rid of any contamination prior to feeding to the girls.

Always have oyster shell available, they will select larger particles of the oyster shell in the afternoon to use for making egg shells prior to
Laying an egg.

Here is a good article on egg shell production.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/for-strong-eggshells-size-matters/

Again congratulations on your pullet laying! I imagine by now more have started

 

[AntiqueB]

I only rinse mine off with water, and only if they're dirty. I also leave them out. We haven't gotten sick in the 2 years I've had chickens, but we also don't eat undercooked eggs.

 

[Chicken poppy]

My first of 5 has started laying this week. A (about) 20 week old Rhode Island Red. So far she's a rockstar and has laid an egg pretty much every day since. They're small, which of course I expect this early, with very strong shells. I am, however surprised by the yolk color. I thought it would be more orange? theyre yellowish yolks just like store bought. They definitely taste better but I thought rich orange yolks was what you get from fresh eggs. Is this an age thing? or are my expectations incorrect?

Another question I have - Do people wash their eggs prior to cooking? I have been keeping them on the counter and then rinsing/rubbing them right before I cook them. Is this even necessary if they're clean looking? Its just one pullet right now laying and I am very vigilant about keeping the nesting boxes clean, so the eggs look very clean when I bring them inside. I see all these "enzyme" cleaners online and don't know if this is just marketing or something that people do.

and last question- should I save the shells and feed them back to the girls? They already get oyster shells and I will be switching to layer feed as soon as I run out of grower. Most days they get leftover scrambled eggs (store bought for now) from my kids never finishing their breakfast. I read that some people crush and mix the shells in scrambled eggs and feed it back. Is this really beneficial or should I just compost the shells?

Okay, so.

1. Orange (deep orange) means outdoor raised, diet on grass, seeds, etc but its really just due to them eating lots of grass if i remember correctly
Light orange is mixed grain and grass fed access to sunlight
bright yellow is store bought confined indoors with no sunlight
Basically, maybe your chickens just stay indoors a bit more so eat less grass and stuff, thats what was true for mine. My free ranging girls who are constantly free ranging have a deep, dark, orange. While my others is a orangish yellow. Not bright yellow though.


Feed them to your chickens sure, or add to compost, plants, or whatever else. Its great for soil but great calcium. It is beneficial, yes. Its up to you. Mine like the shells more so i usually give it to them.