Hard-Boiled Problems

[danielkbrantley]

I've got some white leghorns that are great layers. However, it is often difficult to get the shell off their eggs when hard-boiled.

That said, anyone know what could be missing from their diet? I give them a mixture of layer pellets and scratch, and toss 'em our vegetable food scraps.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Slightly New to This Thing

 

[Chris09]

I've got some white leghorns that are great layers. However, it is often difficult to get the shell off their eggs when hard-boiled.

That said, anyone know what could be missing from their diet? I give them a mixture of layer pellets and scratch, and toss 'em our vegetable food scraps.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Slightly New to This Thing

It is because they are fresh, if you are going to hard boil them then let the set about a week.

Chris

 

[Imp]

There's a lot of different tricks to boiling & peeling fresh eggs.
I find adding lots of salt to the water helps me with peeling fresh eggs. Lot's of salt, maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup, in a small saucepan, for about a dozen eggs. Cook hard and peel under ice cold running water.

Imp- Good luck

 

[KrazyKhick]

Everyone has their own way. I suggest you try some methods mentioned here and on the web. For me, I can easily peel fresh eggs if I steam them. About 20 mins or so, time that from full steam not when you set it on the stove. I always set them in cold water after, but i'm not sure if that actually helps or not.

 

[PtitePouleRouge]

The problem is indeed the freshness of your eggs, not the diet of your flock. What a great problem to have!

I discovered the solution to this accidentally in Keys to Good Cooking by Harold McGee (wonderful book), where he says that to make the best hard-boiled eggs, you actually don't want to boil them at all. Boiling makes the whites tough and rubbery. When I tried his method to my surprise it also resulted in easy-peeling eggs!

Bring your water to a boil, and gently lower the eggs in. Regulate the heat to maintain an almost-simmer. You want to see small bubbles on the bottom, but your eggs should not be bumping around in the pot. The length of time that you cook them will differ a bit from your old method because of the reduced heat. I like them soft-boiled, which takes 7-8 minutes. For solid yolks I'd say try 13 minutes. Then put them in cold water to cool. The best way to peel is to crack them all around, and roll between your fingers until the shell is all broken up. Feel around for the soft spot where the air pocket is--this is where you want to start peeling. Make sure to get under the inner membrane to start off, and the rest should just slip off.

 

[gale65]

I use the method above (boil water first, put in eggs, cool in water) only I use ice water to cool them off. I put actual ice in the water. I boil same-day-laid eggs and they peel nicely.

 

[Highlander]

I read the other day about someone baking theirs in the oven with great results. I'll see if I can find it.

ETA: here is the thread. I hadn't read the updates so perhaps it's not so bulletproof after all! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-approach-to-peeling-eggs-that-actually-works

 

[galanie]

I've done all of the above and they only work for me if the eggs are a week or more old.

 

[danielkbrantley]

This is awesome! We will certainly try them all, though my father-in-law also said the thing about needing them to be older. (He's been in the backyard chicken game for decades.)

Thanks again,

Daniel