Decent eggs

[MrJuice]

I am buying Clarence court eggs at the moment while my hens are on a barren period over winter. CC are good but don't get anywhere near the flavour of my hen eggs. I feed my hens apples and carrots daily. Also corn, organic feed, meal worms and any other treats I might come up with occasionally

As stated above, colour of yolk does not affe t flavour. Flavour is all to do with what the hens are being fed and feeding them as I do is not economically viable for a commercial operation

[AndyAudi]

red_slr said:

Egg report incoming!

So they were pretty decent (was hoping to say eggcellent…. but alas not quite that good) , not the best I have ever had but defiantly better than what the supermarkets have been dishing out the last year or so. I am still convinced something has changed meaning the birds are being fed something different.

I eat probably at least 6 eggs a week, if not more than that so I have noticed a change, very little taste and very runny white with pale yolk.

These had a good taste and the white was firm and I will try poaching some when I next get some more as that's usually a good test.

Right, in my opinion the over riding decision on whether an egg is good or not comes down to freshness, this is why farms shop/small sellers/backyard always appear best, the are usually fresh. Eggs by the time are processed/packed/distributed can be 7days before hitting supermarkets. (& poaching becomes more difficult)

Our birds are being fed slightly differently to years back, more UK Oilseed Rape oil as a substitute for some of the overseas (Brazil/India) Soya. Not wholly substituted as it would compromise familiar flavour (maybe some cheaper producers are not worried)

Runny white is more likely older eggs, in my opinion the more expensive eggs are less likely to have as high a turnover as the middle of the range ones, so pick popular ones if supermarket is only option. If you eat 6 eggs a week I’d near guarantee you will see a difference between Day one & day 6 with a supermarket box.
Crack egg on day one & take pic, then crack day 6, with same box & you’ll see it much more runny. I would not even attempt trying to poach a supermarket egg a week after bringing it home.

I’m a free range producer but will say for eggs in my opinion it’s about welfare not quality of eggs, I couldn’t say I taste the difference (unlike in meat where texture is different due to age & speed of growing). If I find I’m buying eggs I take the freshest whether Colony/Barn/Free range.

[AndyAudi]

Interesting egg point, yolk size doesn’t vary much with overall egg size so I’d tend to go Mediums for fry/poach/boil

[Mort7]

Finally managed a comparison between Clarence Court Burford Browns and Waitrose Duchy Organics as part of a New Year's Day fry-up. Clarence Court are creamier than the Duchy, and have bright orange yolks, compared to the pale yellow of the Duchy. It'll be CC from now on.

Not as good as the eggs we had when we kept chickens, but very good by shop-bought standards.

Thanks for the heads-up.

[Uncle John]

Eggsperts, what is the shelf life of your typical box of eggs?

I quite often have them laying in the china hen for quite some time before I cook them. I work under the principle that if they were off I would know about it....

Also, best stored in the hen or in the fridge?

[dazwalsh]

There is usually 3 weeks of date eve o supermarket ones. Not sure if sticking them in the fridge helps although I find when poaching chilled eggs the white goes everywhere.

[Condi]

Put them in water, if they float they're no good. Or the other way round. Something like that.

The 3 week use by date is a legal requirement, they are fine for longer. Maybe some science was done back in the day about how long they were good for?

[zygalski]

Burford browns are ok. The yolks seem a bit smaller and darker than The Happy Eggs we normally get. BB's seem a little more flavoursome but there's not a great deal in it.
I quite like duck eggs, but the other half got the squits when she first tried them, so they're off the menu.

[AndyAudi]

Eggs are living things with porous shell, put in the fridge they lose moisture faster but remain fresh. Optimum storage in house is prob 18-20C

3 weeks Is the stamp date but younger hens usually lay thicker shelled eggs which last longer, trouble is you Prob won’t know age of hens.

As eggs get older they lose moisture & air space at round end gets bigger so will float in water. If an egg floats standing up on its point I prob wouldn’t eat it.

[Pothole]

ChrisnChris said:

In the days when it wasn't illegal to feed your hens kitchen scraps.

What?