Dilemma

[tj12345]

Hi everyone!
I have a dilemma. I recently moved and put a farm stand in front of my house to sell our eggs. 2 days later I was approached and told that I can't have my eggs out there because someone is going to die from salmonella and I'm going to be sued. (I believe this to have been a well meaning intervention, not mean spirited.) I have been trying to keep the eggs out of the direct sun but was told they can't be outside at all in hot weather. My question is.... Does everyone else have chickens with refrigerated fannies?? My chickens are still laying in 90' heat AND still sitting on their eggs. I'm sure if I told this person to go reach under the hens and grab a few eggs, he wouldn't have batted an eye. Where do people think the chickens put the eggs in summertime? Even if I hadn't picked up eggs for 2 or 3 days (I gather at least once a day) I wouldn't think twice about eating them from under the hens. The only other caveat to this issue is that I do clean the dirty eggs if I'm selling them. I don't clean ones that aren't dirty and I don't clean my own.
Any thoughts?

 

[ChicKat]

Hi everyone!
I have a dilemma. I recently moved and put a farm stand in front of my house to sell our eggs. 2 days later I was approached and told that I can't have my eggs out there because someone is going to die from salmonella and I'm going to be sued. (I believe this to have been a well meaning intervention, not mean spirited.) I have been trying to keep the eggs out of the direct sun but was told they can't be outside at all in hot weather. My question is.... Does everyone else have chickens with refrigerated fannies?? My chickens are still laying in 90' heat AND still sitting on their eggs. I'm sure if I told this person to go reach under the hens and grab a few eggs, he wouldn't have batted an eye. Where do people think the chickens put the eggs in summertime? Even if I hadn't picked up eggs for 2 or 3 days (I gather at least once a day) I wouldn't think twice about eating them from under the hens. The only other caveat to this issue is that I do clean the dirty eggs if I'm selling them. I don't clean ones that aren't dirty and I don't clean my own.
Any thoughts?

Here is an idea for you - I have seen help-yourself farm stands where the eggs are in a styrofoam ice-chest that has some ice in the bottom. Of course this approach would nullify use of cardboard egg cartons due to moisture issues as the ice melts. Styrofoam ice chests are cheap. If you have freezer room -- you could freeze your own blocks of Ice in tupperware for the bottom. It would give you some control of the temps. -- old saying 'better be safe than sorry'.

 

[GitaBooks]

Welcome to BYC!

Yeah, eggs can stay good for a week or even more if kept in a cool place, and can stay good for a few days in warmer weather. In hot weather chicks can start to develop, though I don't think salmonella would unless the chickens are kept in dirty conditions.

Some people don't even refrigerate their eggs. You can try putting some ice under your eggs to keep the stand cooler, but make sure htey don't freeze the eggs.

Best of luck!

 

[IceAngel]

Do you have a rooster? I know from personal experience that fertilized eggs will start to develop in temperatures higher than 90 degrees, regardless of whether you have them in an incubator or not.
From a marketing standpoint, I wouldn't buy eggs from a roadside stand where eggs are exposed to the heat of the day.

Why not invest in a cooler. You can buy the Styrofoam ones for less than $10. Put a garbage bag in it filled with water and put it in the freezer each night. It will keep your eggs cool throughout most of the day.

Btw. Make sure you have your name and address on the cartons because that is a requirement in most places.

 

[tj12345]

Thanks, that is exactly what I was planning on doing with a cooler-already freezing ice packs! Thank you for all the responses and yes, I currently have two roosters but don't plan having more than 1 in the very near future. (He's VERY dominant. I know it's his job, but I don't like it.)

 

[drumstick diva]

You can rehome your rooster if you want. Your hens will continue to lay eggs without them. They just will be non-fertile eggs (will not hatch)

 

[tj12345]

Have been trying to re-home him but no one wants a rooster.

.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[tj12345]

Thank you!

 

[IceAngel]

Have been trying to re-home him but no one wants a rooster.

.

In some jurisdictions By-laws prohibit roosters due to their incessant crowing early morning. My rooster is hard on the hens. If I didn't need fertile eggs I would get rid of him. Sometimes I lock him up in his own little Fridge box, just to give the hens a rest from him. Since the top of the box has been cut open I just cover it with a square of chicken wire. That way he gets fresh air and some sunshine during his incarceration.

I took pictures of my pallet coops but it was at lock up and they are all pretty dark. I will try again before the sun goes down.