- Jan 11, 2012
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This article is brought to us by our sponsor Nutrena. Thanks so much for supporting our community!
A dependable supply of eggs is one of the many things that a poultry owner looks forward to. Being able to share the fruits of your flock, either as a gift to a treasured friend or by selling them at your local farmer’s market, is an opportunity that allows you to not only show off your girls’ achievements, but also act as an ambassador for backyard chickens everywhere!
You always want to make sure that your eggs are the highest quality possible, and that is especially true if you find yourself ready to give them away or sell them. So how do you make sure your eggs are gift-worthy? Here are a few simple things you can do to influence the look and taste of your eggs.
Strong Shells
One of the main differentiating factors between eggs from your flock and store bought eggs is the strength of the eggshell. A hard-shelled egg is pleasing to crack against the pan and is much appreciated by friends and customers alike. The good news? You can influence the strength of the eggshells in your hens. Here’s how:
• Make sure a commercial layer ration, like Nutrena
Naturewise
layer feed, is available at all times and makes up the majority of the diet. This type of feed includes the correct vitamins and minerals, including extra calcium, for excellent quality eggshells.
• Offer oyster shells free choice. Provide this form of supplemental calcium in a separate container and allow birds to have access 24/7. They’ll take what they need. A hen’s requirement for calcium varies greatly based on her age, stage in the lay cycle, and other factors. Even though layer rations have extra calcium, it still may not be enough and that’s why extra supplemental calcium is essential.
• Don’t overfeed treats. Even though they are good girls and certainly deserve it, don’t give your flock members too many treats. Treats include things like scratch grains, kitchen scraps and grains. These things unbalance the diet and can affect eggshell quality.
Golden Yolks
There is nothing more beautiful than cracking a fresh egg and seeing a beautiful dark golden yolk. Yolk color is affected by the bird’s diet. While the color of the yolk has no effect on the nutritional value of the egg, in the U.S. the deep golden yolks are considered to be superior over light colored yolks. Birds that free range on dark leafy greens will have great egg yolk color due to the carotenoids that occur naturally in the diet. But if you don’t have the space or ability to free range your birds, don’t despair. Feeding a feed that includes marigold extract as an ingredient, like NatureWise
feeds by Nutrena, will provide the carotenoids that give your eggs a dark golden yolk as well.
Egg Whites
An egg that stands up in the pan and gives you a delicious egg white is definitely something to strive for. One of the best ways to achieve a nice egg white is to ensure your eggs are fresh. Have you ever cracked an egg and noticed that the white is runny or watery? That’s probably because the egg was not as fresh as it should have been. Eggs that have just recently been plucked from the nest box will tell you how fresh they are by the way the egg white looks – it should hold together well and not be runny. Another way to get awesome egg whites is to feed the correct amount and balance of amino acids. The correct combinations will affect the Haugh units (the measurement of how high the egg stands up in the pan). NatureWise
has the correct balance of amino acids needed for great egg whites.
Shell Color
While you can’t impact shell color by what you feed your hens, you can plan for shell color when you are considering breeds for your flock. Color of egg depends on the breed of the hen. You can tell if a hen will lay a brown egg if her earlobe is red. If her earlobe is white, she will lay white eggs. Brown eggs are popular right now, but the shades vary from very light to a dark chocolate brown, and some are even speckled! The ever popular Easter Eggers are the chickens that lay the blue or green and even pink eggs, while the standard white leghorn is the most prolific layer on record and lays most of the white eggs found in the grocery store shelf.
Egg Ambassadors
Every time you make a gift of your eggs or sell them, you have the chance to promote backyard chicken-raising. Tell the consumer of your eggs a little bit about your flock and how you care for them. People will become personally invested with your birds and your egg operation and chances are they will continue to buy from you or even start to raise their own flock! A great way to personalize your egg deliveries is to place a note inside each carton of eggs. Describe your flock, their breeds, and even their names! Tell people how you care for them and what they eat – the recipient will appreciate and enjoy their eggs even more for this bit of information!
Having eggs in abundance is a wonderful feeling, and selling them or giving them to people who will appreciate your hens’ hard work is even better. Make sure you care for your flock in a way that makes your eggs something you can truly be proud to share with others.
Be sure to visit Nutrena!
A dependable supply of eggs is one of the many things that a poultry owner looks forward to. Being able to share the fruits of your flock, either as a gift to a treasured friend or by selling them at your local farmer’s market, is an opportunity that allows you to not only show off your girls’ achievements, but also act as an ambassador for backyard chickens everywhere!
You always want to make sure that your eggs are the highest quality possible, and that is especially true if you find yourself ready to give them away or sell them. So how do you make sure your eggs are gift-worthy? Here are a few simple things you can do to influence the look and taste of your eggs.
Strong Shells
One of the main differentiating factors between eggs from your flock and store bought eggs is the strength of the eggshell. A hard-shelled egg is pleasing to crack against the pan and is much appreciated by friends and customers alike. The good news? You can influence the strength of the eggshells in your hens. Here’s how:
• Make sure a commercial layer ration, like Nutrena
• Offer oyster shells free choice. Provide this form of supplemental calcium in a separate container and allow birds to have access 24/7. They’ll take what they need. A hen’s requirement for calcium varies greatly based on her age, stage in the lay cycle, and other factors. Even though layer rations have extra calcium, it still may not be enough and that’s why extra supplemental calcium is essential.
• Don’t overfeed treats. Even though they are good girls and certainly deserve it, don’t give your flock members too many treats. Treats include things like scratch grains, kitchen scraps and grains. These things unbalance the diet and can affect eggshell quality.
Golden Yolks
There is nothing more beautiful than cracking a fresh egg and seeing a beautiful dark golden yolk. Yolk color is affected by the bird’s diet. While the color of the yolk has no effect on the nutritional value of the egg, in the U.S. the deep golden yolks are considered to be superior over light colored yolks. Birds that free range on dark leafy greens will have great egg yolk color due to the carotenoids that occur naturally in the diet. But if you don’t have the space or ability to free range your birds, don’t despair. Feeding a feed that includes marigold extract as an ingredient, like NatureWise
Egg Whites
An egg that stands up in the pan and gives you a delicious egg white is definitely something to strive for. One of the best ways to achieve a nice egg white is to ensure your eggs are fresh. Have you ever cracked an egg and noticed that the white is runny or watery? That’s probably because the egg was not as fresh as it should have been. Eggs that have just recently been plucked from the nest box will tell you how fresh they are by the way the egg white looks – it should hold together well and not be runny. Another way to get awesome egg whites is to feed the correct amount and balance of amino acids. The correct combinations will affect the Haugh units (the measurement of how high the egg stands up in the pan). NatureWise
Shell Color
While you can’t impact shell color by what you feed your hens, you can plan for shell color when you are considering breeds for your flock. Color of egg depends on the breed of the hen. You can tell if a hen will lay a brown egg if her earlobe is red. If her earlobe is white, she will lay white eggs. Brown eggs are popular right now, but the shades vary from very light to a dark chocolate brown, and some are even speckled! The ever popular Easter Eggers are the chickens that lay the blue or green and even pink eggs, while the standard white leghorn is the most prolific layer on record and lays most of the white eggs found in the grocery store shelf.
Egg Ambassadors
Every time you make a gift of your eggs or sell them, you have the chance to promote backyard chicken-raising. Tell the consumer of your eggs a little bit about your flock and how you care for them. People will become personally invested with your birds and your egg operation and chances are they will continue to buy from you or even start to raise their own flock! A great way to personalize your egg deliveries is to place a note inside each carton of eggs. Describe your flock, their breeds, and even their names! Tell people how you care for them and what they eat – the recipient will appreciate and enjoy their eggs even more for this bit of information!
Having eggs in abundance is a wonderful feeling, and selling them or giving them to people who will appreciate your hens’ hard work is even better. Make sure you care for your flock in a way that makes your eggs something you can truly be proud to share with others.
Be sure to visit Nutrena!
