Improving the Color and Taste of Your Eggs

[leasmom]

I was excited that I sold three dozen for the first time but then saddened when they wrote to me that they didn't like them. So then I asked to give me a review of the eggs so I could make adjustments. Right now the hens are in the garage in a pen where they can move around etc. with plenty of food including oyster shell and water. THey have artificial light and natural light-the natural light isn't enough and with all the snow I figured I'd keep them in the garage all winter and I have. They are doing well and I get 5 or 6 eggs a day from 6 hens. In less than a week, snow or not I am putting them outside in their coop and run.

The review was that they're eggs were super hard to crack. I use my eggs all the time and I never thought that. I have bought some farm fresh eggs that when I went to pick them up fell apart in my hands. Mine are strong but in my opinion they are not too hard. I can crack them just fine. But she said that they were tasteless and dull in color and smaller than she usually gets. Now I have five new layers so the size I can understand though I did have some big ones but they all (but one) just started this month. I do know the eggs aren't as orange as they used to be when they were outside and I am putting them out there in the beginning of March but I do give them natural foods along with their feed. I give them lettuce/cabbage/ etc. my homemade whole wheat bread, as well as food scraps etc. and scratch feed. I've lately focused more on their feed than their snacks because they became too spoiled. So now they get mostly their feed which is layer feed.

So my question is, how do I improve the taste of my eggs. To me they taste delicious and taste very natural and are way better than store-bought. My sister said that it may be that the lady just isn't used to natural tasting eggs. She said she went to an organic store and bought eggs and didn't like that. Am I taking it too defensively? I want repeat business of course. So I want to get this right so that when I get more hens-(I'm getting two more pullets today and I have two more that aren't laying yet)-I will be able to sell my eggs and make a little money on the side.

So what can I do to boost the color and flavor of my eggs?

 

[Indiana hens]

Let them outside and feed them grass.

 

[HennysMom]

I think for people that truely have never had a "farm fresh egg" laid right out of the chickens butt and not weeks old - they just dont know what a fresh egg is SUPPOSED to taste like. Freshly laid eggs are "eggier" (sorry, dont know how else to put it LOL) and have a distinct egg taste. Store bought eggs have no flavor to me at all now (yes I've become one of those dreaded egg snobs)

I know for me I give my girls raw and cooked spinach to help with the greens since its winter and no grass. They also get fruit and other veggies and grains (raw oats, millet, bird seed mixture made into a flock block), their own eggs cooked up, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. They also get some fish and/or other meat (not chicken though) once in a while.

And my eggshells are hard too; not too hard that you can drop them and they wont break, but much harder than a store bought egg. I say thats a sign of a well taken care of chicken.

There are many others out there that will appreciate your eggs - trust me.

 

[AHappychick]

the woman sounds a bit nutty to me, hard to crack??? I like my shells thick makes me feel like the chooks are getting everything they need, not as orange, well the commercial egg people use marigold pettles (not the smelly kind) to make their yolks more orange. You could try that or if they taste good to you and your family just tell her to get used to it or buy from someone else.

My chooks are all in the garage and I cant sell them fast enough at $6 a dozen and have had no complaints even when I throw in a few bantam sized ones.

 

[leasmom]

Indianahens, we've got snow right now. But my deadline for them being in the garage is the first week of March snow or not.

Hennysmom, they like squash too, I gave them some squash yesterday. I like all the variety you offer. Sounds good.

Ahappychick, I was just looking up the pettles online. I'm trying to see if they have it in powdered form for sale. wow $6 a dozen-WOW!

 

[jbowyer01]

I too was surprized at how strong the shells on my eggs were when my hens started laying. But I also think thats a sign of a healthy hen. As far as the taste, it does taste different. Just as any home grown or fresh veggie and fruit over store bought taste better so do fresh eggs. It took no time at all for my family to realize how much better the fresh eggs were. She probably just isn't use to fresh eggs.

 

[blueskylen]

some people have a complaint about everything - i wouldn't worry about it, or want her business again.

 

[buckeye lady]

"scratch feed" ? is this scratch grains or layer feed. Scratch grains should be for a treat only and not your base feed. You need layer ration/feed as your base. Ex-Layena from Purina.
Tell those people to go back to store bought eggs! They are Morons!

 

[JaceTx]

Hard to crack? I prefer the hard shells of truly fresh eggs. If you can't crack an egg you need to lift some weights or something. Sounds to me she has only eaten store bought eggs and doesn't know any better. Explain to her that farm fresh eggs are like that because the chickens are actually taken care of and not in a 9 inch by 9 inch cage their whole life.

 

[HennysMom]

ever give them a tomato or a blueberry? LOL!! Watch the fun begin

Mine love every kind of fruit there is and go wild for cukes, squash, pumpkin, watermelon, cantelope, etc....but they REALLY love love LOVE tomatos and blueberries with a passion.

CHICKEN FIGHT!