Eggs for Sale!
Farm Fresh Eggs From Happy Hens
All of our eggs have been laid by hens that are raised on pasture with free access to sunshine, fresh air, grass and bugs (although grass and bugs are hard to come by in the winter months!). The only time the chickens are kept in their coops is when the weather makes it unsafe to let them out for the day, like when there is a hurricane, a snowstorm or bitterly cold temperatures.
They have all day access to a commercial feed and fresh water and get a mix of whole grains, corn and sunflower seeds as a treat each morning as well as of our kitchen scraps from the day before (mostly fruit and veggies) in the afternoons. In the gardening seasons, I grow food especially for them. They love zucchini, tomatoes and herbs, oregano especially.
Basically, I could just say that these guys are spoiled and leave it at that! My chickens are so much more than “just chickens” to me.
Our Eggs
Eggs are sold unwashed to preserve the bloom on them – one of the major benefits of buying farm fresh eggs. Our chickens are in good health and their coops are cleaned each morning before the hens start laying so the eggs generally clean and look as though they have been washed already, even though they haven’t.
These eggs pictured below are all unwashed, straight from the nest box.
Our eggs are weighed and sold as a mix of sizes. Most are large or extra large but there jumbos and the occasional “almost a large” medium sized egg as well. If you’re curious about the hens that lay your eggs, you can see pictures of them here. You’ll also find pictures of our roosters as well.
In addition to being a mix of sizes, our eggs are also a mix of colors. Generally about half of the carton will be brown eggs and half something else. Our hens lay a mix of brown, cream, white, blue, and green eggs. In case you are wondering, different colored eggs don’t taste any different than your standard white or brown egg. The only difference is the color of the shell.
Our eggs generally have deeper colored yolks than you’d typically find in the store. Be aware though that, in the winter months when access to grass and bugs is removed due to the weather, yolks are definitely less vibrant and more “store like” than in the warmer months when wild food is in abundance and the chickens get more of their diet from free-ranging.
This is a peewee sized egg laid by Marigold in September 2023 when fresh forage was abundant.
This egg is a jumbo sized egg laid by Ginger in January 2024 after a month or two of less forage being available.
Aside from the obvious size difference in the yolks (just due to one egg being literally twice as large as the other) you can see a little difference in the color as well.
Handling Farm Fresh Eggs
First things first, put them in the fridge. Unless you’ve specifically requested un-refrigerated eggs, your eggs have already been stored in the fridge and they need to continue to be stored there. Yes, even though they have not been washed. A refrigerated egg placed on the counter will sweat and the condensation compromises the bloom protecting the egg.
What is “the bloom”?
The bloom on an egg is a protective coating that the hen places on each egg before she lays it. It seals the pores of the egg to prevent bacterial contamination and keeps the egg fresher for longer.
Unwashed eggs with the bloom intact will keep about three months in fridge.
When it’s time to use your eggs, just give them a good rinse and scrub with your hands under a stream of warm tap water. No soap or detergent is necessary. Always use water warmer than the egg to wash them as, once the bloom is wet and the pores of the eggshell are exposed, cold water can push any bacteria that may be on the outside of the shell inside the shell where you definitely don’t want it to go.
Once washed, they are ready to crack. It’s good practice to crack farm fresh eggs into a little bowl like the examples shown above instead of directly into whatever you’re baking or cooking. When you buy eggs at the store, anything that is less than perfect has often been discarded before it gets to a carton. Brown eggs from the store are more likely to have imperfections than white ones (because it’s harder for equipment to see through the dark shells) so, if you’ve been regularly buying brown eggs from the store you’re likely already familiar with the “protein spots” that can turn up in eggs. Backyard egg producers just don’t have the equipment to check the eggs in the same way commercial producers do so, occasionally, an egg with a small protein spot or two might make its way into your carton. If it does, you can scoop the spot out and carry on. They’re technically harmless to eat but I still pick them out.
More about Protein Spots
Most protein spots are tiny pieces of tissue from the hen’s oviduct. They are usually brown in color, and found in the thick albumen, chalazae, or the yolk. They range in size from 0.5 mm to more than 3 mm in diameter. They are sterile and harmless. The spot can be removed with the tip of a knife, if you wish. The incidence of protein spots ranges from less than 3% to 30% or more. It varies with the strain of bird, increases with the age of bird and may be higher in brown eggs. Many protein spots are too small to be detected by candling, especially in brown eggs.
~ Taken from the University of Alberta’s website.
Are You Looking For Farm Fresh Eggs?
I nearly always have eggs available and, if I happen to be sold out, there will be more the next day. If you’d like to make the switch to farm fresh eggs, just give me a call or send a text to order yours. Pickup is at 2764 North River Road in McGee Lake, Nova Scotia.
