Frequently asked Questions
About Eggs

1. Why are some eggs brown or different colors?
   In general, white eggs are laid by chickens with white ear tufts and brown eggs are laid by chickens with red feathers and ear tufts.  There is a particular breed that lays blue eggs although their ears are not blue- so go figure.
   

2. Why does the color of the yolk differ?
   The yolk color depends on what the chickens eat.  When they eat more food that is high in cartenoid pigment such as yellow corn and marigolds, the yolks are more yellow.
   If they eat white corn meal, the yolk is a paler yellow.  If they eat slugs...
   

3. What nutrients are in eggs?
   Phosphorous, manganese, iron, iodine, copper, calcium, vitamin A, B-12, riboflavin, zinc.  mmm...good for you.  Eggs are a good source of protein- 1 large egg = 6 grams protein. (also about 5 grams of fat if you are on weight watchers)
   

4. What is that white strand around the egg yolk?
     It is called a chalazae (kah-LAY-zuh).  It is like a little guide wire that holds the egg in place inside the shell.  The more of the chalazae you see, the fresher the egg.  (I know you all thought it was the umbilical cord!)
   

5. What is the green ring that you see in hard boiled eggs sometimes?
     It just means you over cooked the egg.  The green is caused by sulfur and iron in the egg reacting with the egg yolks surface or maybe there is too much iron in the water you used to boil the egg.
   

6. What are the signs of a fresh egg?
   Fresh eggs have a cloudy egg white.  It is also harder to peel when it is hard boiled. That's because the air cell in the large end of the egg increases as the egg gets older, making it easier to peel away the shell.
   

7. How long will they lay eggs for?
   They usually lay eggs for 5-8 years. There have been stories of longer laying life. It really varies per chicken.
   

8. How many chickens will I need for a family of 4?
   The general rule is 1 chicken per person to have plenty of eggs.
   

9. Are fertilized eggs better than unfertilized? No.
   

10. What.s the best way to store eggs? Store eggs in a carton small end
    down to preserve the shape of the yolk and freshness.
    

11. What's the best way to clean up after dropping an egg? Sprinkle salt
    on the egg and it wipes right up.
    

12. How nutritious are eggs? Very!! Egg yolks contain Vitamin D which is
    one of the only foods that does contain this vitamin. Eggs are also the
    best source of protein available. They contain 13 essential vitamins
    and nutrients.
    

13. Will I increase my chance of getting salmonella from my own
    chickens?

    No. Only 1 out of 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria.
    That means there is a very small (.005%) chance that you will get it. If you are an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated
    egg once every 84 years!  (www.mercola.com)

     

14. Can I eat eggs raw?    Yes.   (www.mercola.com)
    

15. Will eating eggs everyday increase my cholesterol and the chance for heart disease? 
    No.  High cholesterol is usually due to other metabolism issues such as insulin resistance or eating too many simple carbohydrates.  Eating eggs may also reduce your chance of getting heart disease. (www.mercola.com)