Chicken Eggs and More

     Have you ever thought about the eggs you buy at the grocery store. I know that we have and that is why we have raised our own chickens. We always think about what goes into the food we eat.

We have had a great winter for eggs this year. We raise a few Delaware hens, a few Australorps, Road Island Reds and a trio of Guineas (which are too young to lay eggs yet, and we would like them to hatch babies for the farm.) So far though the Delaware chickens have been laying eggs on a regular basis. The Reds and Australorps have taken a break for the winter.

Size Differences and Colors in Eggs

     Over the years we have seen some of the craziest kinds of egg shapes and sizes. We have had eggs come out very pointy and some very round but this past week we had a very small egg laid. We have had eggs that were even wrinkly on one end. Those eggs that have been laid smaller (sometimes called a fart egg or fairy egg) than usual could be caused be the cold winter weather or even due to the environment in which your birds of living in. For instance it could be the beginning of a moult or a lack of water or food or possible threat from a predator. I would have to say this small egg was caused by the start of a moult. Regardless the chicken may have started to produce the egg sooner than it was supposed to and it just didn’t become a fully productive egg. They are still good to eat and may not even have a yolk just whites.

     Eggs that are wrinkled or Albumen (as the professional term) are cause by the whites of the chicken thinning or becoming watery. This occurs in an older hen. Sometimes this is also cause by the viral disease Infectious Bronchitis (IB). These eggs can still be eaten, but we usually fed them to the pigs. They love eggs.

     There are many different causes for eggs not to form correctly. Some eggs even produce double yolks and I love those kind because I am not keen on the whites. This is possibly caused by overactive ovaries in the hen and the yolks pass too rapidly and join the previous yolk and it occurs in heavy breeders.

     We have had so many different colors to our eggs too. Some have speckles some are lighter and others darker. This can be caused by the time of year they are being laid or the time in which they moult. The same chicken can lay an egg with lots of speckles one day and lay one with less the next, there is nothing wrong with these eggs either. All our chickens lay brown eggs but there are some that lay blue green and even purple eggs. Yet others lay chocolate colored eggs. It just depends on the breed.

     Our Guineas are the best alarm system we have as far as predators go. They have a call that we can hear all over the farm area. We have ours in a huge dog pen right now because they are still young birds and we need to teach them that this is their area to protect. This summer we will put them out in the pasture with the pigs and they should stay where they can eat ticks and ants etc. We would love for them to lay eggs and hatch them to have more protection for the farm.

     Fresh eggs are great for all kinds of cooking and you can definitely taste the difference between a store bought egg and one from the farm. We have sold our eggs and shared them too. I always have a good supply in the refrigerator. Did you know that you should always store your eggs point side down? This keeps the air from the yolk and keeps it fresher longer.

     Here is one of my favorite ways to use eggs:

We eat lots of deviled eggs here and I take them to get togethers all the time and they go so fast.

First let me tell you the secret to an easy peeled egg. I have this wonderful steamer pan that I use to do up my eggs. It is a huge pan so I can steam as many eggs as I like at once. I put water in the pan just enough for the streamer to be above it, then I place the eggs in carefully. I turn the temperature to high until the water is boiling in the bottom of the pan then turn it off and let the eggs rest for 20 minutes. (Usually I just let them cool completely.) Time to peel them. Shells just pop right off with one crack.

I cut my eggs in half and take out all the yolks and place them in a medium bowl depending on how many eggs I have done. Most times I do 2 or 3 dozen at a time. Next I smash them well, Place whites in egg trays.

 For 12 eggs

 1/2 cup mayonnaise

 1 -2 teaspoon mustard

¼ teaspoon of garlic powder*

1 tablespoon sugar

Mix well.

Add a dollop of yolk mixture into each white and add a sprinkle of paprika to each egg. They are a hit at any get together and if you are last in line you may not get one.

I hope this gives you a great reason to check out eggs from a small farm in your community. You can’t beat the taste of a farm fresh egg. No matter if your eggs are white, blue or brown, double yolkers or some other kind of egg besides chickens, they are just good eating.

Quote of the day:

“This recipe is certainly silly. It says to separate the eggs, but it doesn't say how far to separate them.”
Gracie Allen

Scripture of the day:

Ps 139:16 Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; All its parts were written in your book Regarding the days when they were formed, Before any of them existed.

Weather Quote:

“When February sun shines cold, there comes a day when in the air the wings of winter, slowly unfold, and show the golden summer there.”
–Philip Savage (1868–99)

 * See my previous post regarding dehydrating

Beginning Prep

     After a crazy bout of very cold temperatures and snow we have a day or so of warmer weather to enjoy. I have had cabin fever for too long now and just had to take advantage of the day. I went for a walk on the back part of the property to see how many trees and branches had fallen during the past weeks. We planted a few bamboo plants out on the far side and one has survived how cool is that. My neighbors dogs have dug under the fence close by or it might not have even been noticed. We can collect many fallen branches to add to the pile of firewood. Walked down to the old barn where all my glass doors are being stored. The weather has taken a toll on the already dilapidated structure. There have been a few trees come down on it in the past. We are going to start moving things out soon and tear it completely down. It wasn’t that long ago we put up a new roof on it and the 20foot 2x4s are still in great shape to reuse. 

     I know I said I was not going to open up my house plans again till we started working on it again but see that it is getting warmer we may be able to get in a few windows out in the front of the house. I also had to make a few changes due to the lowness of the one end of the house where the girl’s room and dad’s office will be. I originally thought we would be able to add a bath in the girl's room but dad said not a chance. Now the dining room has moved to the other side of the kitchen and the bath will be beside the living room in the front of the house. This also left me with enough room for a laundry area without taking up space in my master bath. I have also figured out the space for or closet we are tearing out.

     We will have 6 glass doors left over and I have decide to close in my back deck to make a sun room for all my plants. This will be great for the winter months when all the plants come in so I won’t have them in every room in the house. I am so looking forward to getting started again on this old house project. 

Many of my plants among the lumber in my living room.

Little bamboo

Daffies

     My chickens in one pen have built two large nest with about 20 eggs a piece in them I just hope they have kept them warm enough to hatch out some babies. My chickens in the other which are only a trio have laid eggs also. The pigs are all doing well despite all the rain and snow we have had. We have put a lot of hay in the pens just to keep the mud from taking over too much. Getting ready to plan the garden area this year too. It is that time already. I am going to garden this year for sure. We back flushed the pool today and add clean water to it to maintain it over the winter months. I don’t have to worry about old black water this spring with our new cover.  My daffodils are coming up too.So much to do and spring is just around the corner..

More Escapes and Making Fodder

     Since we have brought Jacob (the goat) to our farm he has mastered the escaping from the pen. We went out to feed everyone today and he was waiting for us in the yard. He knocked the feed for the pig’s right out of Pop’s hand. I got him back in the pen. He is very easy to get back in as he must have been escaping at his old place too. Just a shake of the feed can and in he goes. Went back into the house and a little while later Pop told us he was out again. I had to go and see where he was getting out. At first, I thought he had squeezed out of the gate. I had tied the bottom of the gate with wire, but the second time it couldn’t have been it. We inspected the pen again and found where we thought he got out. I wired it up too. I just checked on him when I went to get eggs (two more today!) He was still in his pen.

    

     I have been researching how to make fodder for my chickens. I have some rye and wheat berries soaking now. If this brings my feed bill down I will continue to grow it. I know how the chickens love it. I love the link I posted earlier on how to grow it in 5 gallon buckets. But for right now I have just a small jar to see if they will sprout. I might have to buy some more seeds because I use these for bread and keep them in frig.I have been saving all my egg shells for my girls too it is the best way to give them back there calcium. I feed them peanuts too.