My Hens Are Laying! Now What?

[MissPrissy]

I have to agree with Rafter 7 Paint Horses - collect those eggs and throw them out. Collect the eggs after that daily and eat them for a long while before even thinking about hatching eggs.

You could then use the time to build an incubator and try your hand at hatching just a few yourself. Spend the winter reading and learning good practices for hatch rates, the types of hens that go broody easily , etc. Then next spring you will be in a winning situation to improve your stock with a breed that you really like and can use.

Good luck.

 

[wegotchickens]

Wow. All really good advice for me too. Thanks everyone.

MeanQueenNadine, appreciate the advice about leaving them out of the fridge for a few days. I know it takes a while for them to spoil, so I've left mine to gather before refridgerating. Told DH that was okay but he's been second-guessing me on it.

 

[eggzettera]

I learned that from Alton Brown on the cooking channel on his show Good Eats he was making something (thinking souffle) where part of the instructions was to take the eggs out of the fridge and let them get to room temperature before proceeding he said that the reason the French cookbooks did not mention this process is that the French do not as a rule put them in the fridge.......go figure.

Side note you can not make a decent meringue in a plastic bowl the oil from the fact that plastic is a petroleum product will interfere with the process....