Eggs Recalled

“A box without hinges, key or a lid; yet inside a golden treasure is hid.” ~ Bilbo Baggins

Eggs are being recalled across nine states, due to salmonella.

Here is the article from “thekitchn.com”

So, yes, cook eggs from these providers thoroughly. Salmonella is a nasty bug commonly found in chicken poop, that can also live in the wet part of eggs. Which means cooking kills the nasty bug, and the egg itself is now fine to eat.

Raw eggs can get you very sick if the chicken is not healthy. And sadly, we don’t really know how healthy the animals in commercial farms and ranches are on a day to day basis. We trust. And we cook, thoroughly.

But if the health of animals we use for food is important to you, consider making the step to grow your own… in this case, chickens.

Many communities in the US have “right to grow” laws, allowing people to grow vegetable crops, and even a few backyard chickens. Check your local codes before investing in a coop. Most ordinances allow for 3 or 4 birds, and often roosters are prohibited unless you are a proper breeding facility – roosters are just too noisy for the neighborhood!

And… plan ahead! It takes approximately 6 months before your adorable day-old chicks will be able to lay eggs.

So, the birds we got in April are just beginning to lay (tiny) eggs now. Which is nice, because the older chickens are slowing down a bit in production.

Here is the coop we found at Tractor Supply to house the new girls last spring. Finding baby chickens is another thing. I went to a couple different farm and feed shops for the right selection of layer chickens. You can even order day-old chicks that will ship in the mail! (You’d be surprised by the things you can ship by mail… even bees! )

Some chickens lay blue-green eggs, some have brown eggs, some have white or very pale beige colored eggs. (Note: The color of the shell does not effect the egg inside.) It is almost impossible to tell the sex of a chick when it hatches, so there is a special breed called “sex-linked” that makes it easy for breeders, and you, to avoid the dreaded rooster in your clutch. Roosters are great at what they do, but crowing at 3:30am is another one of their charms I am not ready for.

This week, the new girls have started laying. And that means I get to dig out the recipes for quiche and egg-noodle pasta… maybe even try some Scotch eggs. Deviled eggs! Hard-boiled snacks! Egg-salad sandwiches!

A golden treasure indeed.