My eggs don't taste like farm fresh eggs

[TasteLikeChicken]

Maybe its just me, but my eggs don't taste like some I've had from various farms. I decided to get chickens, I have 7, as of now I'm only getting 2 eggs a day. Is it something in the feed, or something you feed them, that gives the eggs that great taste. I told my girlriend how good a farm fresh egg tastes, and now that I've got my own chickens, the eggs taste like they are storebought. Has anyone else had this issue? I've got the feed, oyster shell, grit, fresh water, I feed them grass sometimes, they eat bugs. I did buy these 7 hens at 10 months old, I had 23 I was raising production reds and cinnamon queens, started off with the brooder, and then had them in their coop for a month, and one night a dog got in and killed them all. I was so mad, I miss them actually, these 7 I bought, don't have the character and are kinda of boring, and they don't like personal contact, I've tried to hold them, sit with them, get them used to me, but they are standoffish. I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of these seven(do hens taste good!!) 2 production reds, 2 black astra, 3 buff orphingtons. I think I'm going to get chicks again and start over. Cause I know that introducing new chickens that will be smaller, those hens will definitely pick on them. Kinda sucks I paid $8 a piece, one expensive chicken meal. Are these chickens edible?

 

[Alabama ee]

How long have you had them?

 

[TasteLikeChicken]

Two weeks, I know they probably need more time to adjust to me.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Do they get to free range ?? TAble Scraps?? I truly noticed a huge difference in color , texture and tatse once my birds started to free range and get table scraps... I would say if they are just on a dry lot and on commercial feed then they will keep tasting like commercial eggs... Also you can eat older hens but they are best slow cooked for soup or noodles .... Also try giving them more grass clippings this will give them more exercise (scratching), more food and moe bugs ..

 

[Alabama ee]

Quote:
It does sometimes takes a little bit of time for new ones to adjust. Also, some just never become friendly. With the ones I have raised, some were just more friendly than others. All of miine will come up to me. Howver, I only have two that will jump in my lap. The others will get close but not that close. Giving them treats helps them become more friendly. Meal worms were the favorite of ours when they were little. However, now, they like just about any kind of table scap. I have given them just about anything but chicken.

What you are feeding them can make a big difference in the eggs. I think that makes more of a difference than the chickens. What brand of feed are you using? With ours, they eat very little of their feed right now. I leave it out, but they like grass, and bugs better.I don't put grit out anymore since they can get what they need from the yard. I do make sure they have clean water.

 

[Beekissed]

Its what they are eating. When I first got some donated Red Stars that had been inside all their lives and fed commercial feeds, their eggs tasted and looked like store bought. It took a period of free ranging and eating mixed grains and laying mash for them to start laying eggs that tasted good.

You might also try some unpastuerized ACV in their water, as this seems to clarify the taste and lessen the high sulfur smell and taste of the eggs.

Give them time, nonmedicated feeds, some whole grains and some free range if you can and it should make all the difference in the world.

 

[TasteLikeChicken]

Thanks for all the good info, I will start feeding them more table scraps, I just was'nt sure if there is a point where you can over overfeed them, that's why I have'nt fed them much table scraps. And I bet the people that had them before, fed them strictly feed, and the area they were kept in was bare, and mine is also bare, it did'nt take long for the 23 I had prior to eat the grass, and flaten the area I had them in. So they are'nt getting fresh grass unless I give that to them. Is there a point where you can give them too much of something, overfeeding them? All you guys said definitely makes sense, thanks!

 

[CoopCrazy]

Unless they are meat birds(cornish x, freedom rangers) then NO they will regulate who much of what they eat.. I personally like my hens fat and sassy..LOL... Also treats are a bonus and will get the birds to be more friendly to you (hopefully

) some of mine still hate me but others know im the treat guy and come running...

 

[BC_Farms]

What I do is anytime I see a dandelion or violet in the yard I pull it (pullet ahahaha) out and give it to the chickens. They are dandelion addicts. I throw them into their pen in the same spot, so anytime I go there they go nuts and all run over.

This is what we do because they are on a dry patch of land (that was always barren). We throw in weeds like that, table scraps, fallen apples from our apple trees and grass clippings. Looking into building a chicken tractor for them and then guineas so they can safely free range about and do some insect control.


ETA: I read in a book that you aren't supposed to feed them more scraps than they can eat in 20 minutes. All the scraps we've given them have lasted no longer than 5 minutes...so you can give them a lot..but you still want their feed to be the main source of nutrition. That was also out of a book and from a nutrition seminar we went to.

 

[Beekissed]

You can overfeed a laying hen, usually by feeding high protein feeds, until she is too fat and will have ovulating problems. This is where folks get into having egg bound hens. Some chickens will just not regulate their own diets.

I've found its best to put out feed once a day and see if they clean it up. If they don't, put out less. This fluctuates with the seasons and their needs.

I wouldn't worry about feeding too many greens...you really cannot do it. If they do not eat them, the bugs will...at which time you have added more protein to their diet by providing bugs.

I would be foraging from people who garden and taking any and all veggie and fruits they want to give you. If you can't free range, this is the best alternative for providing more variety in their diet and for enriching the egg taste. Table scraps are fine but, unless they are green and leafy, they won't provide the same nutrients as free range.