We've got home-layed eggs!

Henrietta's first eggs - they're a bit greener in real life

This weekend, John heard a loud squawking outside that kept escalating. The last time he heard a sound like that was when there was a possum in the nesting box (the time before that, a snake).  So he rushed down to see Charlotte running around in circles along the perimeter of the coop and Henrietta's head sticking out of the box making all the noise. Opening the back of the box, he looked in expecting to see a varmint, but instead he found an egg. Next John began running around squawking about the egg and the miracle thereof. Hopefully the process will become a little more peaceful with time.

Now we have two gray-green eggs from Henrietta, still awaiting Charlotte's. They will probably become "house eggs" as opposed to the the 14 dozen we buy each week and boil up for for the breakfast brigade. They may well end up being boiled, though, since they're such a handy little pre-packaged snack that way.

Which gets to a point I want to make regarding boiling eggs. I have seen people boil the bejeezus out of an egg, randomly letting it boil till it's convenient to remove it from the stove, or thinking it needs to boil for fifteen minutes to avoid being runny. The results are rubbery and, worse, the outside of the yolk turns as grey-green as one of Henrietta's eggshells. It's easy to avoid this and it saves energy as well. Place the egg(s) in lukewarm tap water in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil (covering it will help it boil faster). As soon as eggs begin to boil, turn off the heat and leave covered for 12- 18 minutes (12 for small eggs, 18 for very large eggs). I have no idea where I learned this, but no doubt from some frugal-cooking-quickly cookbook from my past. The eggs look so much more attractive when boiled this way, and you'll save some electricity/gas by not keeping the burner on for so long. Oh, the knowledge this tired and sometimes grumpy mind holds. 

Comments

[Suna]

Beautiful eggs! I love the colored ones. Hope everyone settles down in to production mode.

[Robin John]

Yes, they are beautiful eggs, I just bought 6 ameraucauna chicks, soon they will be 2 weeks old. They are lovely pets. Is there a special way that you wash the eggs?