As I mentioned in this week's Crane Melon post I visited two organic farms this past weekend. While at Peterson's I picked up a dozen eggs right from under the chicken's feathers. Farm fresh eggs, I can hardly believe the taste difference. The yolks are vibrantly yellow and the egg carries a fuller taste. Stress-free chickens produce beautiful eggs.
The eggs were multi-colored and when I asked Ella May the beekeeper and farmer about this she told me that eggs with colored shells are any more nutritious than white-shelled eggs. The breeds that lay white-shelled eggs are more prolific and eat less feed, so they were the more profitable choice for factory farming here in the States. I remember as a kid the moniker of 'if you want local eggs look for brown shells.'
Egg production is directly related to day length. When the days are long the hens will lay more eggs, and when days are shorter, less. A chicken’s egg production cycle is roughly 25 hours long, and they will only release eggs during daylight hours. If on the 25th hour it's dark the hen will hold off until daylight to deliver the egg. Conversely in the commercial egg production world artificial light is kept on the hens 24/7 allowing an egg to be deliver every 25 hours, no matter what time it is outside. More reason to buy organic, right?
Also as the hen has to hold an egg for a long time, the effort for the next egg begins. Occasionally the new egg will bump into the held egg and they merge causing a double-shell. When you break the shell of this type of egg it will appear to have two shell layers on the outside.
An egg when organic or better still when organic and farm fresh, really is a perfect natural food due to being unrefined and unprocessed. What a great way to start the day.
The other day, me and my co-workers had a chat about the sad state of "fresh eggs" here in Denmark where I live - it seems there are no regulations that actually makes sure your eggs are less than 14 days old - when they're sold! That even goes for the organic ones as well! So if the eggs are 2 weeks old at the day you buy them - imagine how long they've been sitting around the day you use the last one... Makes me wanna scream at someone, just don't know who...?
Sorry for the hick-up - things like this just make me really sad! I'm a big egg-lover myself and it was very interesting to read about how it actually ends up on my plate. Really like your blog, found it through the latest IMBB?-event!
Zarah Maria
Posted by: ZarahMaria | September 21, 2004 at 05:49 AM
Thanks Zarah!
How surprising! I think of Denmark as being so much more socially progressive. To hear that public food safety isn't in place. All I can offer is this tip I use when I need to determine if an egg is good or not. Fill a bowl with an inch to an inch and a half of room temperature water; place the egg/s into the bowl. If it floats to the top discard it. Fresh eggs will upend themselves in the shallow water touching the bottom. I remember it this way, if it floats it'll get your goat!
Posted by: Jeanne | September 22, 2004 at 08:06 AM
I am planning to start a Organic chicken farm in Sri lanka near future. It will be two farms each 1000sqm. please let me know how many birds can accomodate in 1000sqm and what is size should be for their sleeping and eggs laying area.
Posted by: Chandana W. Ranasekara | March 31, 2007 at 05:17 AM
Specializes in the export of poultry chicken eggs, Red onion and Potato Located in Temple City Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
M/s Guru Exports was established in 2007 by Mr Vishnu Kumar. The company specializes in export of chicken eggs, red onion and potato. The main products the company distributing are eggs, onion and potato. It is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. “After finished my studies, I was maintaining my dad’s trading company called Sri Ganesh Pipe Traders for last 10 years which was established in 1979. I got very much interested in export business by my uncle who is already doing export business for last 30 years. So I was learnt every thing about export by Export training centre and specially trained 2 years in my uncle’s export company. Every week I got lot of business inquirys through my trade leads on various B2B websites. After I attended lot of inquirys from various country, I got a first buyer from Maldives and I initially supplied Red onion and potato. After few months the same buyer requested to supply white eggs from India. That was the beginning of our business to expand world wide. We supplied best quality chicken eggs with most competitive price. Now we are especially exporting chicken eggs all over the world especially African countries and importing various types of valves from china for our trading company. Today we M/s Guru Exports are one of the largest exporters of chicken eggs in our country.
Best Regards,
Vishnu.
Guru Exports
Your Satisfaction Is Our Aim.
Posted by: Guru Exports | January 22, 2009 at 07:31 AM
Dear sir,
We M/s Guru Exports Are The wholesale suppliers and Exporters 0f indian white chicken eggs, Red Onion and Potato From India. We Can Supply In Bulk quantities As Per Buyers Specification. Best Quality with most Competitive Price, Superior Packing And Prompt Delivery Is Our Specialty. For More Details about our products Information And Best Offers, Contact Us On [email protected].
360 EGGS PER CARTON BOX.
EACH CARTON BOX CONTAINS 12 TRAYS.
EACH TRAY CONTAINS 30 EGGS.
CARTON BOX WILL BE STRONG 5 PLY 5 COLOUR.
PRICE: 14-20 USD FOB PER CARTON BOX.
THANKING YOU. BEST OF BUSINESS!
BEST REGARDS,
VISHNU.
Posted by: Guru Exports | January 22, 2009 at 07:32 AM