Eggs for Survival Food?

Hi, I am in my second year of operation of my little hen flock. From 14 down to 12 due to predators. I'll get those hawks!
We collect about 9/day ..peak was 12/day before the loss. Selling the eggs to friends pays for the food..mostly.

I researched how long eggs can be kept w/o spoiling and here is the best info I can find on the subject. Was eye opening to me.

www.associatedcontent.com...

Mother Earth News performed a comparative experiment in 1977 to test the different "old school" methods of egg preservation alongside refrigerating eggs. Their observations on each method appear below.
An egg that is not subjected to some form of preservation, whether refrigeration or one of the room-temperature methods below, can last fresh longer than you may think. One of the important determinants of longevity is whether the egg has been washed or not. Eggs are coated with a natural "bloom" which protects them against air and bacteria. In nature, this is to allow the eggs to develop into chicks successfully. Washing the egg strips it of its natural bloom and leaves it vulnerable to the elements.
The Mother Earth News study found that homestead eggs that retained their natural bloom stayed fresh for more than three months on average without refrigeration although the quality and texture began to decline after about two months. Commercial eggs that had been washed lasted a far shorter time.

A thin coat of lard helped the homestead eggs last 4-5 months in a cool dark location.
Refrigerated eggs stored in an airtight container lasted up to 7 months. At 6 months still tasted fresh.

Hens on average will lay an egg every day and half.

Nutrition
Free range chicken eggs
www.motherearthnews.com...

* 1/3 less cholesterol * 1/4 less saturated fat * 2/3 more vitamin A * Two times more omega-3 fatty acids * Three times more vitamin E * Seven times more beta carotene
Eggs are one of a small list of foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D. The USDA says supermarket eggs contain an average of 34 International Units per 100 grams. Our tests of eggs from four pastured farms in Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania found that their eggs contained three to six times as much vitamin D as typical supermarket eggs.

Now eggs can be on the menu with the Hogs from Texas!

eggs are awesome, very healthy

due to the high fatty or cholestorol content thoguh, you probably want to add it to your weekly diet, not your daily

www.cholesterol-and-health.com...

In fact, the slew of nutrients in an egg yolk is so comprehensive that a few a day would offer better insurance than a multi-vitamin. Most importantly, the yolk contains most of the nutrients in an egg.

however

Egg Nutrition: Yolk vs. White

Egg yolks are indeed full of cholesterol. Like most cholesterol-rich foods, they are jam-packed full of important nutrients, especially the fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

[edit on 7/18/2010 by indigothefish]

reply to post by indigothefish


They are even better when their picked up from the nest with your own hands! Nutritionally speaking.

Mass production works well for machinery. Not so well with food.

Thanks for this info, we have 5 hens( rooster died) and we have many eggs. But we never were quite sure how long they were good for. I will leave them out in a bowl in the kitchen table for weeks, and they seem fine, But my mother in law insists they be put in the fridge. ha. now i can tell her they are ok set out.

reply to post by awakentired


Thats some very good info, my wife and I have been debating on getting some laying hens for a few months now and I think you just solved the debate. Thank you!

I've had between 5-9 laying hens (no rooster required, just get pullets) for several years now. I house them in my garage in a suburban area. No one even knows I have them, except my immediate neighbor. Food is cheap, they're easy to maintain, and I will NEVER eat another store bought egg again. The flavor of home grown eggs is absolutely out of this world compared to industrial produced eggs. I wish I could describe it, but it's absolutely night and day.

I will also say I have not been healthier. I've heard that the fatty acids in the eggs is really good for you - and believe me you find a way to use those eggs - quiche, cakes, breakfast sandwiches, etc... I used to get sick 2-3 times a year.. since having the chickens and eating their eggs regularly I literally have not been sick for approximately 2 years now.

This is a really good thread with some very interesting claims.

I actually do not doubt the information presented, as it makes a lot of sense and actually matches with my Personal Experiences with keeping eggs for long periods of time.

If I had a place out of town, and a small plot of land to set up farming operations on, I would do that. And I would surely get some chickens.

IMO the best survivalist plan for the widest range of potential "incidents", is simply building your own personal farm to feed your own family.

It worked for thousands of years, it will surely work today as well!

Now that's a useful thread.
SandF
scrambled and freeze dried will last years
I am researching how to do things like this in the home freezer and apparently it will work quite well for at least certain things.

Canadian winter should do it well too.

Here is an article on freezing eggs:
whatscookingamerica.net...

Seeing as how this is in a "survival" forum I don't understand everyone who has no rooster. How do you plan to perpetuate your flock?

That's good to know, I started doing chickens this year, They haven't started laying yet but I'm looking forward to having an egg surplus. I'm wondering if they would last longer boiled and kept in vinegar. Any "pickled egg" lovers out there?

What wild eggs are edible for a survival scenario? Would anyone happen to know?

reply to post by Phlynx


I'd imagine as long as they are fresh, any egg is suitable for eating, especially in a survival situation.

I had a rooster but I ate him.

Let me save you the trouble of alternate methods - just cut their head off. It's the most humane and fastest way for them to die, especially if you're inexperienced.

I live near (within 3 miles) other chicken farmers so if I need a rooster, I'll just go get one but if I was solo farming chickens I'd just buy a rooster and be done with it. As it is, this is a good practice run for me.

Cleaning tip: Lay down the bedding over top of a tarp. When ready, pull the tarp out and dump. Easy, minimum shovelling.

Also, you can clean your eggs WITHOUT water - use vinegar! It doesn't affect the coating on eggs so they last just as long.

reply to post by Phlynx


Answer: yes

www.youtube.com...

One of the great things about eggs in a survival scenario is that they are easy to cook without dishes.

This is from a backpacking trip this spring. The trick for the way that I'm doing it here is to tip the eggs upside down (so that the air bubble is at the top) and then use something thin and sharp to poke from the top down into the center of the egg. This is to keep the egg from exploding or pushing out its contents from pressure. It takes about 35 minutes in medium hot ashes. Turn the eggs regularly for even cooking.

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It's all very well having hens for survival puroposes, but you have to be able to feed them.

If you had no or couldn't get hold of"hen" food what could they survive off whilst keeping them fertile?

they eat alot of scraps, they love veggie scraps and any kind of cracked grains you can get them. Their 'grit' they can get from crushed eggshells, powdered seashell/oyster shell, or from dirt they ingest from scratching/eating off the ground.

There's a reason you see them in third world countries, they're easy as sin to feed :p

reply to post by rlnochance

I just read that they like chick weed which can be very abundant...
free range them but watch for predators like hawks and such

reply to post by korath


Pickling makes everything last longer. I have a couple jars of different recipe's ..Well one jar now. I just ate the last two.

reply to post by Not of this Earth


Glad to help your choice. A good one I think. Just don't do what I did. I way overbuilt my chicken coop. I sized it to hold 75 hens.

I built the coop/building 8*12*8 tall. Way to tall. can get by with 4'. Half the material costs.
I made the run 12* 20 * 6 ft at center. Chicken wire enclosed /wrapped. It was my first building project and I way over engineered it!
I must say though our hens have done quite well with temps hitting 115 and their laying continues. They are let out of the run most days for at least 5 hours though because my wife thinks "they love to get outside and play"