It’s egg season, and you know what that means! It’s time to use all your ‘Farm Fresh Eggs’ wisely. In this post, I can help guide beginner chicken farmers to know how to use all their eggs wisely. A single egg won’t go to waste after reading about ways to use them and, learning more about the superb benefits of eggs, making them a legitimate superfood!
Raising Chickens for Farm Fresh Eggs
This year marks my second abundant egg harvest! I have 24 hens in total. My background in raising chickens started two years ago when I picked up 10 hens from a local poultry hatchery. Since then, I have expanded my flock to 12 more this past October.
If you are starting for the first time raising chickens, something to note is that it takes quite some time before these small chicks are ready to start laying eggs. It takes about 3-4 months until they lay their first egg.
If you want eggs earlier, you can buy ‘pullets’ (3-month-old chickens), who are about ready to start laying. I bought chicks because they are so cute and little. I never had any experience with raising chickens before my first batch two years ago. Watching the chicks eat their small crumbles, drink water, and sleep was fascinating… haha. I had never seen it before and wanted the full experience.
Breeds that Lay ‘Farm Fresh Eggs’
Now that my chickens are grown up, I can see their personalities and characteristics shine. My flock started with the mix mentioned in the table below (mainly for the color of their eggs) and then I added Isa Browns.
| Breed | Egg Color |
| (1) Cream Legbar | Light Blue |
| (8) Rhodebars | Light Brown |
| (3) Olive Eggers | Green-Blue Green |
| (12) Isa Browns | Dark Brown |
Isa Browns are ‘egg-celent’ layers that produce up to 300 eggs per year. They are consistent and can lay up to 2-3 years, under the right conditions. I am fond of these girls but notice they like to escape their mobile electric netting. I have to re-train some to stay in the rotational setup, but during winter, they free-range and love it.
Egg Layers and Their MANY Roles
My older hens earned the privilege of making compost for me now. They give a lot of eggs, but I only have a rotational setup for 12 hens. So, their coop is a deep litter system, which lets the manure and wood chips mix as a compost system. With the help of the chickens who scratch all day, they mix the manure, wood chips, and kitchen scraps. I am trying this method to see if compost is ready by the next planting season.
The Isa Browns are fertilizing and helping with parasite control on my pasture as I move them behind the sheep. They are moved every other day and have access to 100 square feet. My mobile setup is inspired by Justin Rhodes who invented the ‘ChickShaw’ I use for their mobile coop.
How to Use All Your ‘Farm Fresh Eggs’ Wisely
As promised, here are some ways you can utilize the abundance of eggs on your farm:
- Preserve Eggs by Water Glass Canning
- Tip for Hard-Boiled Pickled Eggs
- Make Ice Cream and Custards
- Sell Eggs to Pay for Feed
- Give Some Away to Family and Friends
Other ways I am not currently doing:
- Freeze-Dry Eggs
- Hatch and Sell chicks
This list is extensive, but I will go into what I do, let’s get to it!
Water-Glassing Eggs for Preservation
Firstly, this method has been known for centuries, dating from the 18th century, 1886, to be exact. It was briefly mentioned in a cookbook written by Fannie Farmer.
This 3 ingredient-trusted method is returning to modern-day homes because of its simple and effective solution that will preserve your eggs for up to a year!
You only need clean, unwashed eggs, water, and pickling lime. Eggs with a natural coating called a ‘bloom’ contain protective mechanisms for preserving the egg naturally. This is why Farm Fresh Eggs aren’t refrigerated for a while.
This would be an example of unclean eggs, unsuitable for water glassing even though the bloom is still intact:
Water Glassing Eggs
It's the perfect time of year to preserve the overabundance of eggs your hens are laying. This simple and old-fashioned recipe is returning to modern-day homes for the best egg preservation method!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pickling lime (1 oz per quart)
- 2 quarts filtered water
- 25-30 Clean Eggs that still have a 'Bloom'
Instructions
- Place the gallon jar on the scale and tare the weight
- Add 2 ounces of pickling lime to a clean jar, then, add the 2 quarts of filtered water.
- Mix the pickling lime and water, then add the clean, unwashed eggs into the jar with the pointy side down.
- Tightly seal the jar and store it in a dark, cool area.
Notes
'Bloom' is the natural protective coat on an egg that helps preserve its freshness and protects it from bacteria etc.
This was my first-time water-glassing eggs, and I must warn you to be very careful not to break an egg while they are in there. This will make the other eggs go bad. I had an egg on the very bottom crack, so I had to take some eggs out, take the crack one out, and put the other eggs back in.
Homesteading is trial and error…and sometimes you have to make that initial attempt at trying first before you can succeed! I am hoping for the best with this method and will report back if these eggs last.
Hard-Boiled Eggs Tips
This cracked egg led me to discover that hard-boiled eggs are easier to peel once the ‘air pocket’ is cracked. So, a slight crack with a spoon before boiling will make peeling eggs so easy! Check out the video of it here.
Here are a few tips for Boiled Eggs from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook:
-If you’re starting in boiling water, ensure the eggs are room temp. Cold eggs may crack when they touch the boiling water. Carefully place the eggs in the boiling water, then reduce the heat so that the water is simmering
-If you’re starting in cold water, put the eggs in the pan and cover with enough water. Bring the water to a slow boil. If you want soft eggs, take them out of the water immediately once they start boiling. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, 3-5 minutes for medium, and 12-15 minutes for hard.
Selling Eggs
If you still have excess eggs that need to be eaten, set up a roadside egg stand. That would be ideal if you live on a country road, where people pass by! I’m unsure if HOAs allow this, so research if this is you.
I made this DIY Roadside Eggstand to sell my eggs; it was fun and super easy.
How to Use All Your Farm Fresh Eggs Wisely RECIPES:
- This Baked Custard is so simple, it will help you use your eggs, and enjoy a sweet treat.
- I made a delicious Coconut Cake using my farm-fresh eggs too.
- Try this French Toast Recipe that uses 6 eggs.
- Make an Amazing Frittata using this recipe that calls for 8 eggs.
[…] Egg Yolks: My hens eat the best diet! I feed them meat scraps, and beef liver, organic grains without corn or soy, making their eggs nutrient-dense and bioavailable. They are giving an abundance of eggs right now, so I’m making recipes that call for many eggs! I talk more about what to do with your overflowing abundance of eggs in my Post, “How to Use All Your Farm Fresh Eggs Wisely”. […]