Our eggs come from healthy and robust Gold Sex link hens. Many people do not realize that pullets (hens that have not started laying) must grow for about six months before they give the first egg. In factory farming situations, pullets are given hormone drugs to force them to lay earlier, about three months, and are often 'spent' by six months. By the way, the terms 'free range' and 'free roaming' are completely unregulated and are meaningless in a practical sense. Unless you see the birds yourself, you cannot know for sure how they are raised.
Our hens are always outside and free to scratch the ground to their hearts content, which they do quite well. Their shelter is often described as a 'chicken tractor' due to this scratching effect on the pasture. They turn the surface of the soil, remove thatch and integrate the manure into the soil. this process improve the soil biology immensely. So we are naturally improving our topsoils with the grazing of the hens.
Laying boxes are located inside the moving shelter and collected and washed by hand. Boxes are closed at night and straw is replaced often to keep the eggs clean. Layers get a custom ration which suppliments their diet of pasture and insects.
The eggs themselves are different from factory eggs in everyway. First you will notice a variability in the shell appearance and size; this is natural. The shell itself is much harder; we call them 'double whackers.' Then you will see the difference in texture, color and tone. The yolks are a bright orange, whites are firm and they 'stand up' in the frying pan. You can actually lift them whole by putting a fork in the whites! They naturally have all the omega acids and other fashionable designer nutriets currently advertised by mega-egg producers (ie. flax seed, etc.). So you can rest assure that this egg will be the best you can eat. In fact, they have so much 'good' cholesterol that they can actually lower cholesterol levels! So eat them everyday!
Our eggs are used by Kerbey Lane in their deserts, and by Peoples RX in their 'free range' breakfast tacos. Be sure to support these local businesses. I also sell eggs at the Whole Foods Downtown.
