Now that they are laying how do I eat the eggs?

[MG2019]

Never gotten sick in nearly 70 years.
What I do to prepare them is scramble, fry, hard boil, soft boil, poach, quiche, frittata, etc..
What makes you think your eggs are inferior to store bought, cage hen eggs?

This is my first time raising chickens so I think I’m just a bit nervous that I’m not doing it right. I know it seems silly but I’ve always admired farming but I never thought I was qualified to do it. Until one day I decided to try. So as a 100 % beginner I just want to make sure I’m doing it right. I also battled a terrible condition in which nausea and vomiting were a daily part of my life and my stomach is still sensitive and my body is weakened. Which led me to believe I could raise my own food and perhaps help my body back to health and healing. So to be honest the thought of throwing up or being ill is now something that causes me anxiety because it brings me back to a terrible time. It’s not that I think my eggs are inferior I just want to make sure I’m going about it the right way and that I’m practicing the proper steps of collecting and preparing my food. I will be feeding these eggs to my children as well so I want to make sure I’m collecting and preparing the eggs to be eaten in the right way it’s a very rewarding process and I appreciate the insight, support and guidance from people who are more experienced

 

[Callender Girl]

There's nothing wrong with being cautious, especially considering your previous health issues. But I feel safer eating eggs from my own flock than from store bought eggs.

I regularly deliver eggs at a local bank, and one of the women there said she is afraid to eat farm-fresh eggs because of the possibility of illness. I have to admit I ribbed her a bit after a huge outbreak of salmonella, caused by STORE BOUGHT eggs. No one has ever gotten sick from eating my girls' eggs.

I hope that with all the good advice that's been given, you will feel confident in your ability to properly store and eat the bounty that your girls are providing. Enjoy!

 

[21hens-incharge]

One thing I do....and recommend....

Crack the eggs individually into a bowl so you can check for any meat spots or blood streaks.
Those things do happen on occasion and although won't make you sick are unattractive and a bit offputting. I toss eggs with those issues.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This is my first time raising chickens so I think I’m just a bit nervous that I’m not doing it right. I know it seems silly but I’ve always admired farming but I never thought I was qualified to do it. Until one day I decided to try. So as a 100 % beginner I just want to make sure I’m doing it right. I also battled a terrible condition in which nausea and vomiting were a daily part of my life and my stomach is still sensitive and my body is weakened. Which led me to believe I could raise my own food and perhaps help my body back to health and healing. So to be honest the thought of throwing up or being ill is now something that causes me anxiety because it brings me back to a terrible time. It’s not that I think my eggs are inferior I just want to make sure I’m going about it the right way and that I’m practicing the proper steps of collecting and preparing my food. I will be feeding these eggs to my children as well so I want to make sure I’m collecting and preparing the eggs to be eaten in the right way it’s a very rewarding process and I appreciate the insight, support and guidance from people who are more experienced

You're doing it right. Keeping chickens is hard to mess up. Sometimes it is better not to overthink it and observe what the chickens want to do as your guide. The more natural the better.
Keeping the nests clean (preventing hens from sleeping in there) and daily collection of eggs is all you need to do.
Given your medical history I understand your trepidation regarding foods. That, coupled with your anxiety may prove to be an issue. Time will tell.
I understand that there is a learning curve for those with no experience farming or raising livestock. The general urbanization of society globally is the issue that requires there be such a thing as commercial agriculture. That leaves most people with no experience.
The USDA has required producers with over 3,000 hens to wash eggs and then refrigerate for over 50 years. Canada, Japan and Scandinavia followed suit shortly thereafter. However none of the rest of the world does. Go to a grocer or market in Europe, anywhere in the Caribbean or Latin America and you'll find the eggs on unrefrigerated store shelves. The idea is that the cuticle is nature's defense against bacteria entering the egg.
Humans have been eating all sorts of avian and reptilian eggs throughout history.
You may enjoy reading some of the following information.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaa...tish-supermarket-and-vice-versa/#1b5732424050

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesal...-chills-its-eggs-and-most-of-the-world-doesnt

Keep in mind that the regulations in the following links are for egg producers that may have up to 2 million or more birds in a building and it makes more sense.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/c...Shell_Eggs_from_Farm_to_Table.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

https://wayback.archive-it.org/7993...wnloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM232271.pdf

 

[Criticalicious]

Keep your chickens healthy and happy and your eggs will be superior in every way to anything you might buy at the store.

 

[imnukensc]

And someone on this site Suggested the idea of writing the date with a pencil on the egg when you collect them. That's the best method that works for me

Writing the date on the carton as soon as the first egg goes in it seems simpler and is what I do. Sure as heck ain't gonna take the time to date each individual egg.

 

[Birdsong 82]

We just put ours in a really large basket and pack up a couple dozen every few days for somebody but at the end I just wanna make sure there's not an egg that's been sitting in there a while. And I want to make sure the ones I gave her cell are the freshest ones in there. Plus anyone who gets my eggs knows how fresh the ones I give them are. I guess it's easier for me because I make writing the date my daughters job. As she is the a collector

 

[ValerieJ]

This is my first time raising chickens so I think I’m just a bit nervous that I’m not doing it right. I know it seems silly but I’ve always admired farming but I never thought I was qualified to do it. Until one day I decided to try. So as a 100 % beginner I just want to make sure I’m doing it right. I also battled a terrible condition in which nausea and vomiting were a daily part of my life and my stomach is still sensitive and my body is weakened. Which led me to believe I could raise my own food and perhaps help my body back to health and healing. So to be honest the thought of throwing up or being ill is now something that causes me anxiety because it brings me back to a terrible time. It’s not that I think my eggs are inferior I just want to make sure I’m going about it the right way and that I’m practicing the proper steps of collecting and preparing my food. I will be feeding these eggs to my children as well so I want to make sure I’m collecting and preparing the eggs to be eaten in the right way it’s a very rewarding process and I appreciate the insight, support and guidance from people who are more experienced

Always better to be safe than sorry. I don't blame you for asking! How do we know, if we don't ask? I agree with all the advice you have gotten so far, although I toss every egg that is cracked on to the mulch pile. My personal preference is to wipe them with a warm, wet paper towel, then dry paper towel, then into a carton and into the refrigerator. I'm sure my eggs would last a few months, but how would I know? We eat them too fast.

 

[PerlyBee]

So we don’t have to wash them even right before we crack them? I have two sitting in my counter that i just collected.

 

[ValerieJ]

So we don’t have to wash them even right before we crack them? I have two sitting in my counter that i just collected.

Well, I do, but I don't think you would have to. You just need to wash your hands after handling them and before touching any food.