How to find good eggs

[intrigued]

Hi all, I'm interested in eating more raw eggs.  There's a fair amount of talk about what you should shoot for when buying beef, as well as things to avoid with seafood, etc., but I'm having a hard time knowing what to look for in eggs.  Some people were talking about getting a more natural diet with their own chickens with meat scraps and stuff, but that doesn't seem like something I could find in someone selling eggs.

Obviously, there are a lot of people who eat raw eggs here, and I don't think everyone here owns chickens.  So what are some things to look for or some good resources to find good eggs for eating raw?  Do you just go with a local farm who seems to have their stuff together? do people eat grocery store eggs?  All I find are ones with labels which could be misleading and proud statements like "fed a 100% vegetarian diet" which just makes me sad that they're using that as a selling point.

So yeah, any information you have on what to look for when buying eggs for raw consumption would be much appreciated. 

Note that I've eaten raw eggs from WF once and mostly went on my gut based on the packaging info, and decided to just dive into it to try it.  Now that I'm interested in doing it more consistently, I'd like to make a "right" choice, if one's available, while also not overspending on marketing gimmicks either.

Thanks!

[Iguana]

You can get perfectly suitable eggs at my place ! I had to settle my own poultry because such eggs are extremely difficult to find. All commercial or farm eggs, even organic ones, are more or less inedible.

You may perhaps find wild birds' or reptiles' eggs in rare circumstances.

[TylerDurden]

Iguana makes a very good point. That said, if you can get hold of "pastured" eggs from a small-time farmer, you may be in luck. Just ask the farmer if he lets his chickens wander around in woodland, for example.

Because of the foolish farmers who are proud of their 100% vegetarian diet chickens, I have mostly viewed raw eggs as a sort of junk food I should mainly only consume if raw grassfed/wild meat isn't available. I make an exception for raw goose eggs and raw quail eggs, because I've heard good things about the former re farming geese, and the raw quail eggs somehow taste way better than raw chicken eggs.

[intrigued]

Well that's disappointing.  I was hoping there was some easy way to find a good source that was hiding in plain sight.  I guess I'll just keep my eyes open and mostly stay away from them unless I manage to find a good source.  Thanks for the info, and thanks for the offer, but a trip to France for some good eggs is probably too much of a haul.

[LePatron7]

The real milk finder also has good sources of eggs.

http://www.realmilk.com/where02.html#ga

You should look for pastured eggs.

I get decent eggs from a farmer. He sells fertile, pastured eggs. They eat some scraps from them like pork and beef. They're the best eggs I've ever had.

[eveheart]

You should look for pastured eggs.

Be aware that "pastured" is a vague term - plenty of places have their hens in a pasture pecking away at soy/corn chicken scratch. The buzzwords are all around now, cage-free, pastured, organic. I'm big on searching high and low for my food sources, and I've only found one place that raises their layers right, but that ranch is 70 miles away from my house. That place charges $10/dozen eggs, about 3-5 times the cost for the typical organic/vegetarian/pastured/cage-free fake eggs that I can find everywhere.

[LePatron7]

Be aware that "pastured" is a vague term - plenty of places have their hens in a pasture pecking away at soy/corn chicken scratch. The buzzwords are all around now, cage-free, pastured, organic. I'm big on searching high and low for my food sources, and I've only found one place that raises their layers right, but that ranch is 70 miles away from my house. That place charges $10/dozen eggs, about 3-5 times the cost for the typical organic/vegetarian/pastured/cage-free fake eggs that I can find everywhere.

True. Its important to talk with the supplier.

[Hotmail]

I am from the UK, I tried to make natural protein shakes from raw free range eggs, but I got food poisoning from the raw eggs, I get food poisoning from raw liver, raw eggs, and raw oysters   

I am finding it strange that I am getting food poisoning from raw eggs, even though mostly I am used to eating it slightly cooked (runny yolk)



 

[LePatron7]

I am from the UK, I tried to make natural protein shakes from raw free range eggs, but I got food poisoning from the raw eggs, I get food poisoning from raw liver, raw eggs, and raw oysters   

I am finding it strange that I am getting food poisoning from raw eggs, even though mostly I am used to eating it slightly cooked (runny yolk)



 

It could be the quallity of the foods you're eating. I noticed in another post you eat regular super market beef raw, which Tyler said is only partially grass fed.

When it comes to raw meats sourcing is important. Look for high quality meats. Like grass fed, antibiotic and hormone free. Possibly organic too.

If its been given antibiotics its best not to eat it raw.

[Dorothy]

Intrigued - where do you live? What state?

There is a blossoming trend in the United States of keeping backyard chickens and many cities have groups with forums for their town where the people with chickens get together. All you need to do is find someone who owns chickens near you that lets them forage.

Also - you could help someone that has chickens by buying them a few more good layers and offering to raise bugs for their chickens! Once you already have chickens getting a few more is no big deal and most people know that chickens love bugs. You could educate them and help someone to feed their chickens better and be healthier - even take care of their chickens when they go away - and have a nice win/win situation.

People that raise their own chickens can get kind of crazy about wanting the best for their babies. A little ingenuity can go a long way.

I've done a great deal of research into feeding my chickens a raw paleo diet and have started to educate the people in my own area meetup group. I've also come up with some efficient and easy ways to raise bugs for them. I'd be happy to educate you on the subject too so perhaps you can help someone else to feed their chickens along with some for you their ideal diet.

Chickens that are fed correctly have DELICIOUS eggs! The trick is diet. That's all. I wish you could come over Tyler and have an egg meal with me.

There are quite a few threads on the forum where I gave detailed instructions on how to choose the best eggs you can if you can't find any other than ones bought at a farm or the store. If you do some searching I'm sure you will find them here.

Good luck Intrigued! 

[intrigued]

Well hmmph, apparently my search fu is weak then.  I tried searching and had little luck, but maybe I'll try searching through your posts and have more.

I'm in CT.  Actually my brother recently started raising some chickens, but I don't think he'll be putting out enough eggs to give out/sell for a while.  Do you have any posts about recommendations for an initial setup for chickens?  I don't know what my area's laws are, but I'm curious how much work/money investment would be involved to get going with maybe just a few chickens.

[TylerDurden]

I once suggested that people put up a farming thread in which they explain how they raise, butcher and eat their animals on their little farms. It failed as people were too lazy to put such info on here. Any takers?

[jessica]

heh, im a little too burnt out at the end of the day from working on this little farm to go into great detail about what we do.  and have worked and caretaked on a variety of different farms.  but it does sound like an excellent idea.  if i do come across any blogs that are similar and full of sound, useful information ill be sure to remember to post them here.

[Dorothy]

I am so very lazy Tyler. You called me out on that one! 

Intrigued - the very first thing to do is definitely to check your local ordinances - and especially if you have a home owner's association you have to check their rules. Often with just a few chickens no one will know or care, but some people wouldn't want to go through the trouble just to have some stupid neighbor complain and then have to get rid of the birds.

Do you have a fence? Do you have dogs or cats of your own? How much property do you have and do you have any outside buildings that are not being used for anything? Those will be the first considerations when guiding you on how to set up for chickens.

[intrigued]

I only have .35 acres, but it's mostly backyard.  2 dogs and a cat.  It's a house, no home owner's association.  There's a shed, that's currently seeing some use.  Probably wouldn't want to give it up, but if it was a huge benefit, I'd consider it.

I'll definitely try to find some information  about regulations first though.  I would absolutely not want to get invested with a bunch of time and money if there was even a chance that I'd have to just shut it straight down.

Anyway, it's probably a pipe dream at the moment, saving for other things and such, I was just interested in getting an idea of what it might take to get started from someone who is doing it the right way.

[Dorothy]

I have pretty much the same set up - except you didn't tell me if your yard is fenced or not. You have all the room you need.

You can make a chicken coop for close to no money at all. You can get palettes for free and make them into a coop, or lumber for free on craig's list.  If your dogs would bother the chickens then you would need to make the chickens a run or put up a run for the dogs - that would cost something ... that is if you didn't get those materials for free on craig list too.

Each year here in Austin we have what is called the Funky Chicken Coop tour. You wouldn't believe what people have made chicken coops out of! It's wild. Most of the people I talk to have built their own coops out of scraps they have around.

My husband took an old frame from a cheap metal greenhouse I had that didn't work very well as a greenhouse that used to have plastic on it and made that into a chicken coop - but my first coop for my 3 leghorns I bought from someone for 30 bucks.

With just 3 or 4 chickens you would be surprised how easy and cheap it can be if you try to make it be so. The thing you have to be aware of is how to make your coop no matter what you make it out of or who you buy it from completely predator proof. I can tell you how to do that easily.

I suggest you get pullets and not chicks with a cat around. My dogs don't bother the hens at all because I taught them not to. How your dogs will be is totally a function of what kind of relationship you have with your dogs.

My husband was really against the chickens at first. He said I could get three (the minimum number of chickens one should ever get) and if it didn't work I'd have to get rid of them, that they had to be "ugly" chickens that I wouldn't want to pet and make him eggs and not cost too much or be too much of a pain or too messy blah blah blah - all an experiment that he could pull the plug on at any moment. Years later he wanted more chickens, is out petting the chickens, delighting in them and laughing at them, made them a fancy waterer and built them a big coop and spends more time on chicken forums than I do!

There is nothing more fun than having walking clucking feathered clown ornaments that make you eggs in your yard. I spend way too much time on my chickens not because I have to (they pretty much take care of themselves) but because they are delightful.

I hope you are allowed to have them! If you are, I will tell you all I think you need to know and point you to some great websites.

[intrigued]

Sorry, there were a lot of questions to answer, I thought I got them all!  Yes it's fenced in, though there's some small holes where puppies have tried to get through and I'm sure chickens could if they tried.  I'm sure the dogs would be very curious, but I'm sure I could work it out.  The cat would definitely eat up chicks in a heartbeat if she had access.  Don't feel like you have to go overboard on information.  Just sent in an email to the town and who knows if I'll even do it if I can, but I'm definitely interested in whatever you feel like passing on.  Thanks!

[Dorothy]

Fence - excellent! Just patch the areas that they (and/or predators) can just walk through. When you get pullets or adult hens when you have a fence the first season all you have to do is clip SLIGHTLY their primary flight feathers and they will stay in your yard. If you get that far I will send you a website on how to do it. By the time they molt and grow back the chickens know their territory and won't leave unless a severe threat arises. Cats that are fed well rarely will go after adult hens. Our ferals are frightened of the chickens.

Dogs can actually be a plus if they are trained not to go after the chickens as they will protect the area. Possums, raccoons, snakes - even hawks etc. can be kept away with a canine predator around... as long as the dogs themselves don't become predators. Do your dogs sleep outside or inside? That will determine how crazy you have to go in getting or making a secure coop for night time predators - which are the worst. I have never lost a chicken to a predator although we have most of them here.

Wishing you luck with the legalities!

[Iguana]

When you get pullets or adult hens when you have a fence the first season all you have to do is clip SLIGHTLY their primary flight feathers and they will stay in your yard. I

On one side only, so that if they take off to  fly away, they lean and they fall!    It doesn't matter which wing you crop, both left and right one are equally useful to fly...  I catch them when they are busy eating the soaked millet or oats I give them in the evening inside the coop. For a minimal stress and fuss, keep them on the ground while cutting their feathers. It's harder with the female ducks, they are wary and they struggle much if you succeed in catching them. Male domesticated ducks are too heavy to fly, so let'em alone! 

[intrigued]

Hmm, well apparently the town law is to allow them on plots > 2acres.  I have followed up to see if any exemptions are made and/or what qualifies as a household pet, since they say household pets are allowed.  Doesn't look great though.  I would keep an eye on it, but really wouldn't be worried about the cat with full grown chickens.  The dogs sleep inside, though I know they do a fair share of staking claim to the area, we had foxes living under our shed once or twice before getting them and never since.  Also a possum that got tossed around a bit.  Anyway, let you know when I get another response back from the town.  Thanks again.

[Dorothy]

On one side only, so that if they take off to  fly away, they lean and they fall!    It doesn't matter which wing you crop, both left and right one are equally useful to fly...  I catch them when they are busy eating the soaked millet or oats I give them in the evening inside the coop. For a minimal stress and fuss, keep them on the ground while cutting their feathers. It's harder with the female ducks, they are wary and they struggle much if you succeed in catching them. Males domesticated ducks are too heavy to fly, so let'em alone! 

I disagree with the approach of clipping only one side although many seem to do what you do Iguana. It makes it so that the birds are unable to protect themselves by flying straight a little bit if they are in danger and can make for injuries being so imbalanced. I don't thing it is kind. Trimming both wings a little bit makes it so that they can't really get enough lift to get over the fence but can use their wings to help them gain speed and make for a safe enjoyable natural life until their wings grow back. I learned a lot about wing clipping having parrots and watching them closely and their reaction with the different kinds of wing clipping. One of the best tricks for keeping a bird calm when clipping their wings is using a towel to cover their heads and eyes. It's amazing how fast they just go limp when their heads are covered. Also, the towel is good for keeping talons from accidentally doing damage to your skin. How hard it will be to catch and manipulate them will have a lot to do with how much you handle them when young. My newest birds that I got when pullets and played a lot with I pick up and carry and can open their wings whenever I want to. The others are best caught when they are stupid sleepy at night. I couldn't catch those leghorns when eating - they are amazingly fast little devils.   Ducks I do not have yet but have researched a bunch and plan on getting indian runners. They are amazing egg laying machines and cannot fly. They stand upright and run fast instead of waddle. The trouble is that it is not always easy to keep tabs on when those primary flight feathers grow back so you can lose a strong flier like mallards pretty easily so I wouldn't suggest them for a small property.

Intrigued - I'm sorry. What a stupid law! Usually chickens and ducks are not categorized as household pets. Chickens are quieter, more useful and do less damage than dogs or cats. What many people I know who live in restricted circumstances do is get just a few chickens at first. Whatever you do - do NOT get a rooster! As long as the people on either side of your house don't mind and you don't advertise it, no one will even know that that you have hens. I wouldn't get ducks because the females are louder than most hens. If you get along with your neighbors and they don't mind that you have chickens then it's usually not a problem. You can always claim that they are your pets! It will be a claim of ignorance and probably won't work with the authorities but likely will work with your neighbors - and if your neighbors don't say anything you will never have a problem.. Some breeds of chicken are much quieter and docile than others. I would get those. Just make sure that you tame them well when young.

[Iguana]

I disagree with the approach of clipping only one side although many seem to do what you do Iguana. It makes it so that the birds are unable to protect themselves by flying straight a little bit if they are in danger and can make for injuries being so imbalanced. I don't thing it is kind. Trimming both wings a little bit makes it so that they can't really get enough lift to get over the fence but can use their wings to help them gain speed and make for a safe enjoyable natural life until their wings grow back.

Ok, thanks, next time i'll do it your way. It's that I don't want them to fly on my young trees, break branches and eat all the fruits.   

[Dorothy]

Sure Iguana - keeping the chickens in their right place makes everyone happy!

My chickens are totally uninterested in flying up into the trees to find food as they seem to have their heads always to the ground looking for bugs! They would rather eat that than anything. They ignore fruit even when it falls to the ground usually - but your chickens might be different. If you see that they do fly up to your young trees it would mean that it is just time for more of a "hair cut". You can always keep on making the primary flight feathers shorter until they at the point where they just can't get enough lift to that first branch. I took off just the tips so they couldn't get over the fence easily. Even when my chickens have had their wings cut by the person that sold them to me - such a horrible job - cut so much! - and secondary feathers too.    - where they couldn't get much lift at all they still used them to move faster across the yard - for assisted "running" speed. They would flap and get just off the ground to get somewhere fast. I like it that they have this ability to escape something while still being able to stay balanced and judge their direction if they should need to.

I used to keep my parrots wings clipped just enough to just slow them down where they wouldn't get hurt banging into windows and other objects but still be able to get good exercise. Being able to fly even a little I feel kept them safer and happier in such unnatural environs and was good for their health. Most of a bird's exercise comes from using its wings.

I'm such a bird nerd.   

[Iguana]

Mine never try to get over the fence, even if it's only 1.20 meter high. I've been told they believe it goes up to the sky... 

It looks like chicken are different on each side of the pond...! 

[Dorothy]

It also depends on the breed. Leghorns are considered to be flighty - which means they really do try to fly. My first three came from a big farm where they had free reign and then I tried putting them in a tiny yard with one neighbor as a dog and the other as cats. :O  Most other breeds don't fly nearly as much as leghorns do.

If your chickens don't try to get over any fence they will be unlikely to try to get into your trees - except maybe to roost at night I would think.