You raise chickens!? You must be crazy or a prepper? No (at least the voices say I'm not... kidding.) and no. I've been around farm animals my entire life because I have family members who farm. I also helped raise chickens from chicks to pullets in elementary school and we sold the eggs to learn about business. [I was on the "board" and we turned a profit.]
My resurgent interest occurred summer of 2015 when I found out What-A-Burger, an on-the-go favorite, was changing its breakfast hours over an egg shortage. You get spoiled living in a country of abundance in a major city where these types of things are out of sight and mind. I decided to "un-desensitize" myself and learn more about the egg shortage and the farming practices in general.
I didn't like what I read and decided to take the challenge on myself of raising chickens for eggs in addition to doing some urban farming. I will say if I had to live on what I've produced so far... I'm really happy for the egg production because growing crops is hard!
What was the egg shortage about? In the December of 2014 thru Summer 2015 the avian flu hit the Midwest, with places like Iowa being hit the hardest. Yes, your "farm fresh" eggs at the grocery store can travel a long way from home. Numbers vary but 40-50 million chickens had to be euthanized. In commercial egg production you can't take risks and treatment is expensive so egg producers are forced to kill sick and healthy birds alike to prevent the disease from spreading.
What conditions are mass production farm hens raised? Hard to speak for all mass production farms in general they're not great. I've read many hens spend about 95% of the time confined to a space smaller than a sheet of paper. The quarters are tight leading to a high risk of unsanitary conditions. Many are debeaked early on (Google it but you won't enjoy it) to prevent hurting other birds because confined spaces even make chickens angry. And free range per USDA means access to the outdoors but doesn't specify the size, ground cover, or time in that area. However, that label only applies to hens produced for food; not eggs.
What's the difference between a mass produced vs a home egg? The USDA allows 30 days for a farmer to collect eggs and another 30 days to get it into stores. There is conflicting information but my reading suggests a store egg is about 45 days old.
I've noticed that fresh egg shells tend to be harder to crack and the size to weight is higher because an egg shell is actually porous and will lose moisture over time.
The quality of feed and lifestyle of the hens could also contribute to a better coloration and taste of the eggs; see below.
So mass produced eggs are bad? Overall, I wouldn't say that. It is a tough business and some of the decisions a bigger farm has to make to be profitable are not the same decisions I (or others) have to make at home.
Why are the yolks so yellow almost orange? The yolk color is a product of diet. Higher corn and natural pigments cause this. It has no impact on nutrition value or taste.
Why do home eggs taste better? Like the yolk color the taste is a matter of diet. Your home variety chickens should have a better quality of life and feed than a traditional egg production farm and thus a better final product. And in theory the home eggs are fresher than the store eggs which as mentioned above could be pretty old by the time they reach you.
Telling a good egg from a bad egg? I've tried this trick for a while and so far so good. Submerge the eggs in a container of water. If the egg floats then it has lost a lot of moisture and is bad. If it sits on the bottom its good. If it sits one end up then its older and should be used sooner than later.
If eggs are left our should you clean them? You have to be careful. Scrubbing the eggs can take off the protective coating. Its better to lightly rinse them and only give them a good cleaning before you're ready to use them.
Are the eggs safe to eat? Of course. There are some conditions when a bird is sick you would want to discard the eggs while being treated but outside of that they're perfectly safe. Use them like you would your store variety.
Do eggs have to be refrigerated? No but once you refrigerate them they need to stay refrigerated because the condensation can cause bacteria to form when they're sitting out. Also, chickens don't lay eggs into refrigerators and have a body temp of around 103-113 and they sit on the eggs so... you do the math.
Here in the US, the USDA requires eggs to be sprayed and washed with a hot chemical sanitizer to reduce the risk of salmonella. Once washed the USDA says they have to be moved to a cool room and hence form condensation on the outside and must stay refrigerated.
Interestingly in the UK they don't refrigerate eggs or require this type of washing. This washes off some of the protective coating which in the UK mindset would actually cause a greater risk of salmonella getting inside the egg. In the UK, they promote having a cleaner point of collection (IE the environment where the chickens live). So in the UK, expect to see eggs out on a shelf.
Also worth nothing the laying house method is prevalent here in the US and is a lot less sanitary vs the free-range method more prevalent in the UK.
So is salmonella running rampant in the UK? No. Its probably actually less prevalent than in the US but I can't find any definitive statistics on the UK. The US has about 140,000 incidents per year.
How are your hens raised? Compared to many farms, my hens are at a 5 star resort. They have unlimited access to clean water which I periodically add Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar to which is a natural remedy for most common problems. They eat a complete feed and scratch that comes from a reputable family-owned mill in Kingston, OK, I buy it from a small business owner, Mike, who owns the Rocking Y feed store in Dallas. So these chickens even support the local/regional economy!
They have a secure open air cage with ample space but they are allowed to run around in the yard and get the occasional treats and appropriate table scraps. Their coop and run bedding is deep bedded weekly.
The biggest testimony is they run to me when I go outside, they'll let me handle them, and their wings are not clipped but they stay here. All in all, I'd say that's a pretty good deal.
