The chicken’s diet has a large influence on the quality of their eggs, and, I would propose, the flavor. Recent nutritional testing by Mother Earth News showed that grass pastured hens produced eggs that were significantly lower in cholesterol and saturated fat and significantly higher in some vitamins when compared to store bought eggs. I know at least one of the egg samples used in that survey came from a grass-fed hen farm about 60 miles from here, and he moves his birds regularly to keep them on fresh grass. When we first taste-tested our eggs, they were hard at work decimating the grass and weeds in their pen. Since then they’ve turned it into a bare lot, and no doubt their eggs are at present quite similar to any other egg from a hen fed a standard laying ration. We are in the processing of moving the hen house to a much larger grass pen and we expect the color and flavor of the eggs to improve.

Either way, knowing what goes into the eggs (and what does not) tastes delicious.

We’ve been going to the local farm market to look at their chickens & chicks often – too see what they’re selling, what they recommend. Last week we talked to an Amish guy – there’s an Amish community a few miles south of us – they are having weekly poultry auctions starting mid Oct. Should be interesting, at least, to see what they’re auctioning. We also want to get guinea hens at the same time as our chicks & raise them together.