my eggs are a pain to peel. why?

[shawnkfl]

my hens finally started to lay. well, one has anyway. i got six eggs saved and decided to make egg salad for lunch tomorrow. being that the eggs are small size, i added a few store bought eggs. i boiled them and the store eggs peeled very easily. i get under the membrane and the shell just peels right off like an orange. my eggs though, are a pain! the shell comes off in little pieces and when i'm done, most of the egg is gone too from me pulling at the shell. why are they so hard to peel?

 

[hinkjc]

Now you're learning just how old those store bought eggs are and that fresh eggs do not peel well. I try to use eggs 2 weeks or older for hard boiling. But when you have to use fresh, add a little oil to your boiling water and they should peel easier for you.

 

[halo]

Enjoy....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115799

 

[NurseNettie]

Your eggs are hard to peel because they're fresh and full, with very little wiggle room ( tight when boiled- no room between shell andegg)! Most of the "tricks" to make them easier to peel, sometimes work, sometimes don't. The best thing to do is use eggs that are a bit older for hard boiling-- some of the water inside will evaporate through the shell, leaving a slightly bigger air sac and some more wiggle room to peel!

Quote:

 

[Year of the Rooster]

If you want a good hardboiled egg, what you want to do is heat the WATER first, then once it is at a boil, put the eggs in, turn the heat off, and cover the pot. Let them sit for about... 15 minutes I think. Not sure on how long. But this always works for us.

 

[claud]

Quote:
This is the only way to easily peel them.

It has nothing to do with them being fresh.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

When I hard boil eggs here once their done, I drain off the hot water, add cool water and add a little vinegar. I usually don't have any problems with the shells not peeling off easily.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Quote:
This is the only way to easily peel them.

It has nothing to do with them being fresh.

Thanks for providing that link!

 

[lakeshorenc]

Salt in the water works for me but it does take a lot. We were having a hard time peeling quail eggs until I added salt to the water. They peeled so easy. It works with fresh chicken eggs too. I bring my water to a boil, add salt (4-5 TBS) then add eggs and cook for 10 mins, drain and put in cold water. Works every time. The salt does not absorb in the egg enough to taste.