Egg Quality?

[ringmasternj]

My hens have been laying consistently for a few months now, and we love them. My only question is hard boiled. Every egg my hens lay, when hard boiled, regardless of egg age, are darn near impossible to peel. Its like the shell takes a "layer" of white with it, and we're losing a lot of egg!

Is this diet or quality related? Should I supplement the ladies, or leave it be? They eat regular egg layer crumbles, bread or salad stuff, etc for treats as we get them, and of course good clean water.

-Ring

 

[outlander]

Even when I hardboil very fresh eggs, I find them easy to peel as I add a generous glug of vinegar (white or apple, either one) to the water before boiling. If you are already doing this and are still having trouble then perhaps take a look at your boiling/cooling technique? Hope you get it figured out...I know it is frustrating.

 

[BantamLover21]

How old are the eggs from your hens when you hard-boil and peel them? Fresh eggs (less than several weeks old) from any chicken are usually very difficult to peel. As the eggs get older, for a reason I can't explain, they become easier to peel. That is what supermarket eggs are generally great for hard-boiling--by the time they reach your home, they're often several months old.

 

[ringmasternj]

OK, I see. To me, an "older" egg is anything more than three days, but none of my eggs are older than a week or so. I suppose I just need to "reserve" eggs for future boiling. Thanks!

 

[sepaditty1]

I had that problem too with super fresh eggs. I had someone tell me this method. I haven't tried it, since I rarely have enough eggs to "waste" on myself.

Bring water to boil.

Place the eggs in and cover.

Bring water back to a boil.

Turn off the heat and let them sit for 15 minutes.

They should peel easily.

I know many people who use this method, but I never had to since I had store bought eggs that aren't as fresh.

 

[Aamanda]

The fresher the egg the harder to peel. The air pocket inside is still small. The older the egg the larger the air pocket and the easier the thin film breaks away from the shell. Reserve your eggs and after a week "float" them. If they are still on the bottom of the bowl wait. When they hang out in the middle of the water, Not on the bottom or floating the should be ready for hard boiling. At the market get the eggs with the oldest dates on them.

 

[lazy gardener]

You don't have to age your eggs to get them to peel easily when hard boiled. Just put a generous tablespoon of water in the pan, add cold water, add eggs, boil as usual. The salt draws moisture out of the eggs and they are then easier to peel. BTW, when I peel eggs, I roll it to break the shell, run it under cold water and slide a spoon between the shell and the egg, using the spoon to shuck the egg out of the shell. The spoon perfectly matches the contours of the egg.

 

[aart]

You don't have to age your eggs to get them to peel easily when hard boiled. Just put a generous tablespoon of water in the pan, add cold water, add eggs, boil as usual. The salt draws moisture out of the eggs and they are then easier to peel. BTW, when I peel eggs, I roll it to break the shell, run it under cold water and slide a spoon between the shell and the egg, using the spoon to shuck the egg out of the shell. The spoon perfectly matches the contours of the egg.

Should this say 'salt'??

 

[sepaditty1]

That's what I figured.

 

[lazy gardener]

You don't have to age your eggs to get them to peel easily when hard boiled. Just put a generous tablespoon of water in the pan, add cold water, add eggs, boil as usual. The salt draws moisture out of the eggs and they are then easier to peel. BTW, when I peel eggs, I roll it to break the shell, run it under cold water and slide a spoon between the shell and the egg, using the spoon to shuck the egg out of the shell. The spoon perfectly matches the contours of the egg.

OOPS! MY BAD! YES... PUT A GENEROUS TBSP OF SALT IN THE PAN WITH THE WATER AND THE EGGS!!!