| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 06:29:44 AM
OK, I'm down to having to BUY eggs from the store. I hate this. A yard full of chickens and no eggs.
So I got the Born Free- Cage Free brand distributed from Watertown, Ma. Does that just mean they are all shipped there, then shipped elsewhere, or are they from there?
Does anyone live there? Could you do a Micheal Poulan and go see if they're really cage free?
The eggs I had the other day were so pale it was disgusting. Then this morning the yolks were actually yellow.
Has anyone else used this brand? They stamp the shell with born free, too.
Kris |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Bee Haven Maven |
Posted - Nov 13 2008 : 1:30:29 PM
Hi there, I thought I would chime in....about the question of freezing eggs. You can crack each egg in freeze the yolk and white together in an ice-cube tray, them place the cubes in a freezer bag and use them for baking over the winter. Hard boiled eggs last for a long time in the refrig, too. And I have learned that you can keep eggs for at least a month (fresh) in the refrig. I think eggs are one of the most perfect foods there are!
What to do with retired layers.....well, at our farm they just hang out and enjoy their remaining days....our thanks to them for providing us with so much yummy nutrition.
Vowing to never eat another store-bought egg ever again!!
...Bev
Visit my blog at: www.sewonandsewfourth.blogspot.com
Visit our farm at: www.beehavenacres.blogspot.com
Aprons for sale at: www.apronmaven.blogspot.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 8:47:40 PM
OK, what is a brooder? Is it just a box with a heat lamp? I've only ever used a big tote til they get about a month old then they go to a cage, then outside.
Kris |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 8:44:36 PM
I used to always take mine to a friend who would take all the old hens. Now I just let them live out their lives. The kids always make pets of the very oldest ones. There have been several chicken funerals this past year. I have an extra pen that stays empty most of the year for isolation or meat chickens (didn't raise any of those this year..but still have one that is about 18 month old) that I can start chicks in when they are ready to come out of the brooder.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 7:30:58 PM
I think next year I will look for at least 16-18 month old, already ready to start laying. I'm tired of raisingthem from chickies. Plus the feed is so expensive and they need lots of care when they're little. So I'd rather pay $5-8.00 for someone else to raise them.
There is a big Mexican(?) family near us that buys hens from me. And sheep, too. So it's nice to have them near us to buy all our "spent"hens. I just might call them soon! Then I usually take that money to buy new ones and start over.
Kris |
| Suzan |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 10:39:34 AM
This is killing me...I want chickens so bad but can't have them where we live (deed restrictions even tho we are in the country)...but you all have convinced me to find someone around me who sells their own... |
| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 10:25:02 AM
Speaking of "old girls" - what do y'all do with your oldes? I have a few that probably need to go. |
| K-Falls Farmgirl |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 07:20:18 AM
I don't have chickens yet, But will in the spring.. Is it best to get 16-17 week old ones or new hatched ? I only need I think 6 and don't thinkk I want a rooster this round/ I get my eggs right now from our local natural food store & cafe. Iam paying about $3.50 a dozen.
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Cheryl #309
Farm girl sister
Enjoy the little things in life....someday you'll look back and realize they were the big things. |
| Annab |
Posted - Nov 12 2008 : 03:39:01 AM
About half of my ladies have stopped laying. They look rough and are going through a heavy molt.
This always seems to take forever, and naturally, just as the baking season is starting into full swing, the egg supply dwindles.
arrrgh 
Luckily the newer gals from this Spring are still laying, rather slim or smaller eggs but at least it's something.
Not sure I'll ever buy another store egg again, no matter what the label says or how "green" the store may claim. The eggs still have to go thorugh a cleaing process, and like the other plain ones lord only knows how old they already are! Typically 'ye plain white or brown egg is ALREADY 6 WEEKS OLD!!!! yucko!
You just cant beat truly and honest fresh.
I second the other ladies and find someone around you who sells.
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| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 6:22:56 PM
Mine do get layer mash...even though they arn't laying. Spoiled little princesses!!! They are banties..about 20 of them...and don't eat alot though. They get alot of kitchen scraps too.
I never put a light in their henhouse even though I know that does help them lay all winter. I let them have a break and usually get a few a day..enough to get us by until the days get longer and they are laying more again. Now that they are so old I have pushed my luck. I usually have in the past replaced half my flock each year so I always have a dozen or so year old hens...but oh well. Next year I will have geriatric hens and spring chickens right??
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 5:29:46 PM
And you live in Tenn. Why aren't mine laying then???? Darn old chickens! They may all be going in the freezer really soon. I tell them that all the time. Maybe they know what I'm saying, huh.
Mine are only 2 1/2 years old. Jenny said hers are about 6. I don't feed mine laying pellets, just corn right now. I don't ever see any big difference when I did feed the pellets, so I thought why waste money if it doesn't help.
So I don't know. And believe me, it is hard to eat those things from the store.
Kris |
| countrygal56 |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 5:16:50 PM
After having wonderful farm fresh eggs from my chickens, it would be hard to eat store bought eggs. I hope your chickens begin to lay eggs soon. When do chickens begin to stop laying eggs? I mean at what age? Mine are only 1 year and 6 months old. They do slow down some during the winter, but we do get at least three a day when it is cold.
Barb |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 5:01:24 PM
Paula Deen says the yolks can be frozen in 1/8 tsp. salt per 1/4 cup of yolk. Nothing about the whole egg. But I don't see why not. That would be a good idea when we have 10 dozen eggs next time!
Kris |
| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 4:50:21 PM
I hear ya about the winter chicks. I made the mistake of trying my hand at meat birds this past early spring and ended up running 2 heat lmaps 24/7 for a month just toget them to cornish game hen size. I'll never do that again. The next batch was raised from June to Aug so only had lamps on for a few weeks then it was warm enough to turn them off. |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 3:01:01 PM
Can't you freeze eggs?
What I mean is, can't you crack them, and dump the insides into something freeze them and use them later? Maybe not for sunny side up eggs, but for like baking, scrambled eggs, and the like?
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 1:38:12 PM
I've got 9 little chicks almost 1 month old. I started them in the laundry room with the heat lamp, then in this room, the heat lamp broke. Then into the dining room and just now took them out to the "cat and dog" room. They sure do stink. The only problem about hatching eggs is most of them turn out to be roosters. I guess they'll go in the freezer soon then. But it really is hard to raise winter chicks.
My hens are only 2 1/2. I need to get more in the spring, too.
Kris |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 1:04:22 PM
My hens arn't laying right now either..the problem with most of them is age. Most are about 6 now..only a few are younger and just molted. I know I will get a few eggs here and there this winter, but I really need to get some new chicks in the spring. I SHOULD have done it over the summer. oh well. I have had to resort to store eggs tooo...ugh. I need to call around to friends and see if I can get some fresh ones..maybe in trade for milk when Mona is back to that. store eggs are sure not as good!
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| wooliespinner |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 10:26:25 AM
I know what you mean on the milk. My girls are drying off slowly. I am milking 2 does once a day and only getting a half a gallon a day. But am thrilled to be getting it. But I know as soon as they dry up the few customers that I have will want milk. They never seem to make it over much when their is plenty....lol.. oh well I guess thats just how it seems to work out.
I am actually getting eggs but I bought new chicks to add to the flock this year. They have been laying the past 8 or 9 weeks. The older hens have all been molting......tons of feathers all over the pasture. Most of them are refeathering out. They are starting to look pretty again.
Hope you find some local eggs.Take care.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 10:14:33 AM
Didn't even think about doing that. Thanks for the reminder. There are lots of people around here who have productive chickens, unlike mine right now. So I'll do that. Thanks.
I know how it is to have so many eggs I can't get rid of them . I've had 10 dozen at one time, ready to just give them away. What I wouldn't give right now for 1 of those dozens!
It's just like with the milk, too. My fridge will be full and no one needs milk, then the goats slow done, everyone needs it.
Kris |
| La Patite Ferme |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 10:01:47 AM
Kristin,
Is there a local feed store you can talk to about small local egg producers or put up a flyer asking egg producers to call you? Maybe even someone in 4-H or FFA would be willing to sell.
I actually have the opposite problem - people around me would rather buy from the store than me. Not that I produce a lot, just more than DD and I can consume in a week. Plus you'd get a mix of brown and green/blue because of the breeds I have. People think that's wierd. |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 09:01:49 AM
I know that applies to "cage free" meat birds. They are so used to being inside where the food is, they never go near the door to go out. It's so pitiful, isn't it?
I might as well just buy the cheap eggs then, because these are about $4.00 a dozen. I see no real difference in these and the caged egg layers.
Kris |
| Ms.Lilly |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 08:45:55 AM
I also belive that alot of those cage free chickens are fed a vegitarian diet, which means no bugs. Chickens need those bugs to make dark yellow yolks.
Lillian |
| willowtreecreek |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 08:27:30 AM
You are right about cage free. To qualify as "free range" they only need have access to the outdoors which just means a door may be open at the end of the henhouse. Wether or not they actually go outside is a whole other issue.
Why aren't your hens laying? Are they just not old enough?
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com
Felt and Fabric Crafts
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com
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| eskimobirdlady |
Posted - Nov 11 2008 : 07:41:07 AM
kris, to qualify as "cage free" i believve they only have to be out of the cage for 15 minutes per day. i could be wrong as that could be "free range" chickens. sorry you are having to buy eggs. we are still waiting for our first eggs but with temps around zero to minus 20 the pullets are slow to start laying. peace conie in alaska |
