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Chicken Farming and Eggs
A Great Source of Homesteading Income
Chicken farming and eggs are the best thing about having chickens.
Not only will these wonderful birds provide you will meat, they can also provide you will all the quiches, omelets and egg casseroles your heart desires.
Better still, they can be a great source of income for homesteaders.
Gathering Eggs
Collect your eggs two to three times per day. That way they are less likely to get dirty or cracked.
This will also protect your precious food source from getting spoiled or frozen in harsher temperatures.
If they are slightly dirty, brush or rub off the dirt with fine grain sandpaper.
If they are seriously dirty, rinse them in water that is slightly warmer than the shell.
Don't wash them in cooler water, and don't get into the habit of washing them.
Cool water could force bacteria in through the shell and into the yolk.
Also, your freshly laid product has a light coating – called bloom – that preserves its freshness.
Water will rinse off that natural bloom and your eggs won't last as long.
Chicken Farming and Eggs
If Your Eggs Have Thin Shells
The strength of the shell depends on your hen’s diet and age.
Older hens will lay a larger product with a weaker shell.
But if you have young hens producing thin shells, you need to increase the vitamins and minerals in their diet.
All of your laying hens should have access to a separate feeder with ground oyster shells to ensure they get sufficient calcium in their diet.
Chicken Farming and Eggs
Storing Them
Place the eggs in clean cartons. Do not use cartons that are open on the top.
These are great for seeing the product, but they won't stay fresh as long.
Set them in the carton with their pointed ends downward and then refrigerate them as soon as possible.
Eggs left at room temperature for one day age the same amount as those placed in the fridge for a week.
Chicken Farming and Eggs
On The Range
Complete Chicken Tractor Design
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A great way to have a free range product, while still protecting your chickens from predators is to keep your hens in a chicken tractor. These are chicken coops set on wheels with no flooring. You move the tractor each morning, giving your hens daily access to fresh grass and insects.
Chicken Farming and Eggs
How to Sell Them
This wonderful food is easy to sell on a small scale.
Just take them into work with you, or let friends and neighbors know you have them for sale.
There are many people who love such a fresh and delicious food and will be happy to buy them from you.
Things will be different if you want a bigger share of the market.
Just like any full time business, it will take more work, as well as planning and some research.
Learn chicken-raising techniques and other tips on self-sufficient living by clicking here.
You will need to check with local laws for information on sales permits and claims you can legally make.
For example, there are some pretty stringent requirements on what the term organic chicken farming means.
For more information, contact your local county extension agent. You will also have to do some market research.
Where will you find your customers?
Are you going to sell at the farmer’s market, or are you going to target the natural food stores in your area?
What do your customers want? Do they want white eggs or brown?
And how much are they willing to pay? (You can learn secrets of selling farm products by clicking here.)
When deciding what to charge, take all of your costs into consideration, including feed, packaging, delivery and promotional expenses.
There are several online companies that offer cartons for sale. Shop around for the best price. And enjoy this wonderful food!
The secrets to happy, healthy chickens revealed! Click here to learn more.
More Great Chicken Information
If you're looking for a supercharged alternative to the traditional coop, look no further than this great design.
Great tips on caring for your flock in winter.
Live in the city? It's likely you can still keep a small flock. Learn more.
It's best to start with chicks. Here are tips on housing your baby chicks.
More great information on caring for your flock.
Learn why a portable coop is best.
Ready for fresh, delicious eggs? Read this great benefit of Keeping hens for their eggs.
Thinking about ordering baby chicks? Learn which chicken breed is right for you.
Tips on raising the organic flock.
Want chickens in your urban neighborhood, but the laws forbid it? Learn how you can get a chicken law passed in your neighborhood.
Learn why self-sufficient living and having chickens go hand in hand.
Ready to have your own backyard flock? Here are some maintenance tips.
Looking for an excellent way to build the health of your flock and protect you and your family from diseases such as Salmonella and E-coli?
Add probiotics to your flock's water every day.
Learn more.
Thinking about raising meat chickens?
Read this.
Want to learn how to butcher your chickens? Read this article.
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Build Your Own Chicken Tractor!
You Can Build a Chicken Tractor Provides you with step-by-step instructions on how to build a chicken tractor and also provides helpful information on how to get free wood and how your chickens can pay for themselves.
Click Here learn more.
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