Improving the Color and Taste of Your Eggs

[CovenantCreek]

Yolk color is greatly affected by how much sunlight the girls get. Shortly after my first girls started laying I lost one to a hawk and decided to keep the others locked inside. It didn't take long before their eggs began to get pale. There really isn't anything you can do to supplement the vitamin D they get from being out in the sun. Once I let them back out to take their chances with the hawks, the yolk color went back to "normal".

I've been reading in several threads lately that people have to crack their eggs into a bowl before adding to whatever their making. I remember a time when we had to do that with store bought eggs, too. Of course, I also remember eggs being available in Grade AA as well as A. The thicker shell is a good thing, so don't let silly customers try to tell you otherwise. Just tell her you don't want your hens to get osteoporosis so you're gonna keep giving them calcium supplements which will also make the shells stronger.

 

[Javamama]

This is a really interesting discussion. I have noticed that the eggs change with the feed. I have started mixing Layena with regular feed store pellets because of egg size issues. When my girls are on Layena, the eggs are much smaller and not as rich tasting, as well as fewer per week. I was going back and forth between feed brands because I like the idea of not having animal byproduct in the feed, but they just don't lay as well without it. I also supplement with scratch for treats and plenty of Black Oil Sunflower seeds and whatever extra produce and table scraps we have. But mixing the feeds has given me better results - at least until everything warms up again.
As far as your customer, it sounds like she just wants something to complain about. Ask her where her favorite eggs ever were bought from and that might tell you what flavor she is looking for. (edit for sentence that made no sense)
I think your eggs look about right for winter.

 

[briteday]

My hens get free feed Layena or other pellets (sometimes I buy the 20% protein layer pellets if they are looking a bit thin), a small dish of organic greens (free cast-offs / trim from the produce manager at our local organic grocery, just ask!), a fistful of scratch in the afternoon or to lure them back to the coop at night, and sometimes a spoonful of flax seed for omega 3.

If you don't have access to good wholesome greens, especially in the winter for the northerners, I buy sacks of alfalfa cubes (meant for horses) and throw a cube (one cube for 6 hens) in a container, cover it with water to re-hydrate, and a few hours later it is a great meal of greens for the girls. A 50# bag will last you forever if you have a small flock. I split mine with other chicken neighbors so the cubes don't go stale. Also, one of our feed stores will sell the cubes from bulk bins by the pound, about 30 cents per pound.

 

[blueskylen]

I'll have to look into the alfalfa cubes - I have been giving mine lettuce and canned mixed veggies to supplement the greens. they also get a treat of sunflower seeds and cracked corn.

I have found that they just wont eat purina flock raiser anymore, and had to switch back to TSC 18% crumbles - which the like.

 

[BeccaOH]

I had a customer just Sunday tell me my eggs were hard to crack and I should lay off the grit.

I've found the shell and inner membrane of my homegrown eggs to be tougher than store bought. Probably part of what makes peeling the hard boiled eggs on fresh eggs harder than on the old ones.

I saw a cook on TV crack her egg with a knife. Hold egg in one hand and smack it in the middle with the blade of a knife. Seems to work well to split these hard shells in a nice line around the middle. I rarely have issues with egg shell getting in my skillet or bowl.

Thanks for the alfalfa cube tip!

 

[Brunty_Farms]

This is always a problem this time of year as your unable to free range due to lack of pasture/grass. With customers that demand a quality egg like the one you've delt with probably are use to farm fresh eggs. Maybe the organic place she got them from before allowed them to free range for green materials?

The only thing that is going to make your yolks and flavor change is greens and bugs. Feed plays a role too but not from bag to bag. What I do is use alfalfa hay. You don't need a lot, but throw in a couple of flakes. The birds won't eat the stems but will scratch through the hay and pick out the leaves. It's a lot cheaper source of protein as well for the birds. A bale of hay / 100 chickens is what I use per day. You will be surprised out how dark the yolks will turn from this.

Also, stop the scraps. Any kind of carbs, will dilute the flavor of the eggs. Bread, corn, scratch, all of these are no good. If your looking for a good quality flavor stick with free ranging in the summer and lots of alfalfa and layer mash in the winter.

I would try that customer again, and show her and explain to her the difference and why it happend. If you take the time to explain to her that winter months are tougher to "enhance" the eggs with flavor due to the lack of forage, she will more than likely appreciate the time you gave her and try your eggs again. If it fails twice.... well.... you can't always please everyone, no matter how hard you try. But I would give her one more chance.

 

[dancingbear]

I'd tell the woman that hard shells mean your hens have a good diet, and I think your eggs look fine. They didn't look dull to me. She's probably just clueless, and I wouldn't worry about her opinion too much.

The alfalfa hay is a good idea, the dark greens and orange veggies like winter squash have a lot of beta carotene, That's what makes the yolks orange. And I agree with Brunty (for a change

) too many carbs doesn't help. They don't need cream of wheat for breakfast.

You might try writing a short educational piece about fresh eggs vs. store bought, and hand it out to first-time customers.

I had a customer tell me once she threw out a whole dozen, because they were bad. I asked why she thought they were bad. She said the yolks were orange.

Cracking those hard shells: Another member posted recently about this, and said she whacks the side of the egg on a flat counter top, and that worked better than a sharp edge. I've started doing that, and the first few I squirted myself with egg white opening the shell, but quickly got the hang of it. One sharp, shallow, tap, and the shell will "spiderweb" on the impact spot, and usually have a clean break around the rest of the egg. Any shell bits that might fall in are almost always large enough to pick out easily, but I seldom get shards in the egg since I started doing this.

 

[scooter147]

I actually have a customers whose husband won't eat my hens eggs, he says they are too "strong". His wife loves them though, so he eats the store bought ones.

I feed a little cracked corn in the evening, I find this gives you the nice bright orange color. During the growing season they get an hour or so of free range time in the evening to eat grass and such and I elinimate the cracked corn.

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
You can tell your customer "grit" has nothing to do with egg hardness.Calcium from oyster shell is what helps. Will

 

[Brunty_Farms]

And I agree with Brunty (for a change ) too many carbs doesn't help. They don't need cream of wheat for breakfast.

That's too funny, I agreed with you on a post too earlier today in the meat bird section... LMOL It's a good day!​