Egg Question

[CWS4322]

I learned that factory eggs are often washed using a chemical solution. I had been washing my eggs that I sold in cold water. I have since decided to only wash the eggs that are "dirty." Those with a bit of shavings on them get a wipe off with a dry cloth. Those washed are done in 20 degree C water. Why? Washing the bloom off the egg in cold water can allow bacteria to be pushed into the egg through the porous shell. I'm just not interested in washing the girls' eggs in a diluted bleach solution...wouldn't that also be able to be 'pushed into the egg'?

W5 has a documentary on battery chicken farms tomorrow night for those who can get CTV. I think you can probably watch it on the Internet as well. Probably not s/thing one wants to watch if one does not wish to know what goes on behind closed doors when it comes to factory chicken farming.

CTV News | W5 - Investigative Reports, News and Current Affairs

 

[Addie]

Back in the mid 70's I was living in Tacoma. One of the news channels did a report on chicken hatchlings. It show 50 gallon barrels on newly hatched chickens being dumped into a commercial trash compactor. Barrel after barrel. Too many chicks had been hatched for the Easter Season. I don't need to say that there was a huge outcry from the public! They did warn the viewer about what they were going to be seeing. I wished I had listened and changed the channel. I still have the image in my brain.

 

[CarolPa]

I am glad I didn't see that, Addie, and I wish I hadn't read your post. LOL But it doesn't surprise me that they did that.

 

[Addie]

I went shopping a couple of weeks ago. I saw a woman swapping out medium eggs for jumbo. She was surprised when she was through that the cover would not close. She gave up when trying to force it, a couple of the eggs cracked. She just left them there and decided to take a carton of large eggs.

 

[CWS4322]

Thought this was an interesting article:

Why English Eggs Are Way Different From American Ones

 

[taxlady]

Thought this was an interesting article:

Why English Eggs Are Way Different From American Ones

Nice article.

"British farmers have been vaccinating their hens against salmonella since the 1990s. While the "drop in salmonella infections in Britain was stunning," according to the New York Times, the FDA has not yet mandated vaccination here in the U.S."

Is the US worried about autistic hens? It has been demonstrated that vaccination doesn't cause autism.

 

[Andy M.]

...Is the US worried about autistic hens? It has been demonstrated that vaccination doesn't cause autism.

No. The FDA won't implement a regulation that would cost egg farmers more time and money.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Nice article.

"British farmers have been vaccinating their hens against salmonella since the 1990s. While the "drop in salmonella infections in Britain was stunning," according to the New York Times, the FDA has not yet mandated vaccination here in the U.S."

Is the US worried about autistic hens? It has been demonstrated that vaccination doesn't cause autism.

 

[CarolPa]

Why is it that some eggs shells seem to be so thin and others so thick?

 

[Dawgluver]

Autistic hens!

Mexico follows similar procedures. The eggs are never refrigerated, instead, they sit on pallets in the middle of the grocery stores. And they are also delicious.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

[QUOTE CarolPa] Why is it that some eggs shells seem to be so thin and others so thick? [/QUOTE]

I think that may be due to hen health...but I am not sure.

 

[Andy M.]

Autistic hens!

Mexico follows similar procedures. The eggs are never refrigerated, instead, they sit on pallets in the middle of the grocery stores. And they are also delicious.

We've been going to Aruba for 15 years. It used to be that eggs were on a wood pallet on the floor in front of the cooler chest. I think there were so many complaints from US tourists that now all the egg cartons are in the cooler chest. The real issue there was cracked and broken eggshells. You sometimes had to go through several dozen to find a whole one or shift eggs around to make a sound dozen.

 

[Dawgluver]

We've been going to Aruba for 15 years. It used to be that eggs were on a wood pallet on the floor in front of the cooler chest. I think there were so many complaints from US tourists that now all the egg cartons are in the cooler chest. The real issue there was cracked and broken eggshells. You sometimes had to go through several dozen to find a whole one or shift eggs around to make a sound dozen.

The eggs we've seen on the pallets in Mexico are sold by 2 dozen, maybe more, in a lidless carton, and covered in plastic wrap. I haven't seen eggs sold by the dozen there. I'm pretty sure the locals will mix and match to make sure they're not buying broken eggs.

 

[Chef Munky]

How do you to tell if a fresh egg is still good?

The wind blew down our entire back fence last week.Our neighbors chickens have been living in my back yard under a tree where they have built a nest.For quite a while now.I thought they knew she was flying over laying her eggs and climbing the tree to get back home again.

My GR just loves them.He doesn't bother them.Chase them around.Just looks at them like what are you?Wish he would chase that annoying rooster out of the yard!

He found 15 the week before.5 the morning he came over to let us know.
Some shells are brown, some green why is that?

He gave me a dozen.

 

[Addie]

Thought this was an interesting article:

Why English Eggs Are Way Different From American Ones

"Aha!" Said the blind carpenter as he picked up his hammer and saw. My first husband was from The Lakes District in Northern England. He always complained that he would never be able to stop craving just one egg from back home. Now I understand what he was talking about. Personally, I thought he was nuts. And egg is an egg. Get over it. But I was just a young bride. What did I know. Maybe that is why I haunt my son when I know he is coming to my house to bring a dozen farm fresh eggs with him. When I think of it, I remember the yolks being bright orange and really high. They made the best ever scrambled eggs when I was a kid.

 

[taxlady]

CWS, on average, how many eggs do your chickens lay in their lifetimes?

I read the Forbes article that was linked in that article, Why American Eggs Would Be Illegal In A British Supermarket, And Vice Versa - Forbes.

"Farmers cite cost as the main reason not to opt for vaccination –FDA estimates say it would cost about 14 cents a bird. The average hen produces about 260 eggs over the course of her lifetime."

260 sounds low to me. That's less than an egg a day, if the birds only live for a year. But, I really don't know much about hens. I just did a bit of reading and an average of .75 eggs/day would be pretty good. I guess those commercial chickens don't live very long.

 

[Addie]

[QUOTE CarolPa] Why is it that some eggs shells seem to be so thin and others so thick?

I think that may be due to hen health...but I am not sure.[/QUOTE]

Brown shells are thicker than white shells. RIR (Rhode Island Reds) hens lay brown eggs. That's why New Englanders have mostly RIR.

 

[Addie]

CWS, on average, how many eggs do your chickens lay in their lifetimes?

I read the Forbes article that was linked in that article, Why American Eggs Would Be Illegal In A British Supermarket, And Vice Versa - Forbes.

"Farmers cite cost as the main reason not to opt for vaccination –FDA estimates say it would cost about 14 cents a bird. The average hen produces about 260 eggs over the course of her lifetime."

260 sounds low to me. That's less than an egg a day, if the birds only live for a year. But, I really don't know much about hens. I just did a bit of reading and an average of .75 eggs/day would be pretty good. I guess those commercial chickens don't live very long.

TL, on a commercial farm, chickens that are kept for egg laying purposes only, have the lights on around the clock. In the winter when the days are shorter, chicken tend to slow down on the egg laying. Hence the lights. Once a chicken shows signs on slowing down on the egg laying, her days are quickly numbered. It takes a little over 24 hours for a chicken to create just one egg.

 

[Addie]

Ditto here!

 

[Mad Cook]

We've been going to Aruba for 15 years. It used to be that eggs were on a wood pallet on the floor in front of the cooler chest. I think there were so many complaints from US tourists that now all the egg cartons are in the cooler chest. The real issue there was cracked and broken eggshells. You sometimes had to go through several dozen to find a whole one or shift eggs around to make a sound dozen.

That's the main problem with our system. egg cartons are stock several high on the shelves and you have to check closely to ensure they are all undamaged. There must be a lot of wastage. Even the check out staff are trained to check for breakages at point of payment.

Mind you, I can remember going shopping with my aunt when I was very small and eggs being put in a paper bag which was really hazardous. Yes, I am truly ancient.