The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[speckledhen]

Better out than in though, right?

I'd say so, out and in my cartons! I really thought Jill was done for her lifetime, but the eggs were so perfect in color and shell quality. Good for that crotchety old lady! Maddie was laying, too.
Lisa, do you have any large fowl layers or just the bantams? How about you, Mary?
My MatiCoopx incubator is out for delivery. Seemed like it took forever. but FedEx was the holdup, not the seller. I am not sure why she sent it by FedEx when USPS would be faster, and that's saying something. Barring complications, Jamie should be able to send my BR eggs out on Monday.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have near 100 chickens. Half of them are bantams, and half are large breeds. I'm overrun with eggs. The geese are starting to lay, and soon the turkeys will start up. It's all too much.

We were without running water here for 6 days. Got it back yesterday after they dug up the yard and replaced the pipe that runs from the well to the house. I was just collecting the eggs and putting them in a big bowl on the counter. Yesterday I finally got to wash them and put them in cartons. I asked my friend how many dozen she wanted. She was a bit put off they were sitting on the counter for a few days. Made me almost second guess what I was doing. Eggs are safe at room temperature if they aren't washed, correct?

 

[speckledhen]

Made me almost second guess what I was doing. Eggs are safe at room temperature if they aren't washed, correct?

Sure, providing they're not poopy and the house is not too warm. I also would not wash them so the bloom is still on to protect them. I've sat mine on the counter in the past, though now I don't have enough counter space to put eggs there with everything else. I can't recall how long they're okay there but a few days is nothing. I'd do it up to a week myself under the conditions I mentioned. Once they are refrigerated, they have to stay that way, though.

 

[speckledhen]

Adding that i'm sorry you had no water, ugh. That's a royal pain! And 100 chickens? I had 55 once upon a time, but I can't do that anymore.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sure, providing they're not poopy and the house is not too warm. I also would not wash them so the bloom is still on to protect them. I've sat mine on the counter in the past, though now I don't have enough counter space to put eggs there with everything else. I can't recall how long they're okay there but a few days is nothing.

Than I you Cynthia. No poopy ones, I never bring those in, and our house is usually between 62 and 65 degrees this time of year. Most were there for 3 days or less.

 

[speckledhen]

Sounds perfectly fine to me, Lisa!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Adding that i'm sorry you had no water, ugh. That's a royal pain!

It was quite horrible. Took us 3 days to get someone out, and than it took them 3 days to dig because of the frost. They had to lay heat lines down to thaw the ground. My back hurts from all the water carrying. I am grateful to be back in the modern world again.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds perfectly fine to me, Lisa!

I really appreciate you calming my mind. It was about 4 dozen eggs. I can toss them, but I didn't see why I would need to, but she made me second guess myself.

 

[speckledhen]

It was quite horrible. Took us 3 days to get someone out, and than it took them 3 days to dig because of the frost. They had to lay heat lines down to thaw the ground. My back hurts from all the water carrying. I am grateful to be back in the modern world again.

I'm all for electricity and running water, even though we have a small solar backup and 250 gal totes of water. I'd not want to have to carry that to the barn!!

I really appreciate you calming my mind. It was about 4 dozen eggs. I can toss them, but I didn't see why I would need to, but she made me second guess myself.

Sure thing. Some folks just have no idea that you can leave eggs on the counter that way. Heck, I've had them ask me how a mother hen feeds her chicks so facts of life have escaped some people. in that way, I guess we've become too modern!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I was kinda surprised how much my friend doesn't know about eggs. She's town folk, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Eggs come from the store, and are laid for eating.

We actually had to carry water into the house for flushing the loo. Funny thing was I was wishing spring would arrive soon so I could stop carrying water outside to the bantams. I guess I should have been more specific in my asking. We were shoveling snow into the heated stock tank, than carrying that in. Snow quickly melted off, but thankfully we managed to catch enough off the roof to keep us going until our well going again.