John and I have had backyard chickens for five years now. We typically raise them from chicks so that they are very docile birds and like pets to us! Over the years, we have learned a lot about the care of chickens and farm fresh eggs. Here are three fun facts about farm fresh eggs, scroll down to learn more!
3 Fun Facts About Farm Fresh Eggs
1. Unwashed farm-fresh eggs can be stored at room temperature
Perhaps one of the most surprising things for people is that we do not store all of farm fresh eggs in the refrigerator. When a chicken lays her eggs it is coated with a protein layer called the “bloom” which seals the egg. An egg that has not been washed can remain unrefrigerated for up to three months. Wash the bloom off and the egg cannot last a day with temperatures above 45 degrees before it starts to develop salmonella and other bacteria harmful to the digestive tract.
2. Different color eggs taste the same
We have several different breeds of chickens on our farm and we have two chickens who lay blue eggs. While the blue eggs are a novelty for most people because they are pretty, they do not taste any different than the brown eggs that our other girls lay.
3. Farm fresh eggs have different nutritional value to commercially grown eggs
Our farm fresh eggs come from chickens who free range and are allowed to be chickens. They scratch around, forage for food (they are also given organic scratch feed), and run around our farm! Healthy chickens means more nutrient dense eggs. Can you tell below how the farm fresh egg has a more vibrant colored yolk?
Compared to commercially grown eggs from factory farms, eggs from hens on pasture have:
• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more Omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene
Loving these fun facts about farm fresh eggs, and curious about other animals we have on our farm? Check out my posts about our goats, horses, and livestock guardian dogs.
Have you ever tried farm fresh eggs? Let me know in a comment below!
