Eggs, eggs, eggs! Most homesteaders start drowning in eggs about this time of year. Your laying hens are producing an abundance and you don’t know what to do with all of them!
What do you do with all of those eggs?
You can read here about how we lost our chickens last fall to a fox. Therefore, we started over with chicks just this spring. We have 12 laying hens now, but they aren’t quite old enough to produce yet.
Therefore, we don’t have the egg issues most homesteaders are experiencing in the summertime. But we have been in this position many times in the past, and here are some things you can do to manage your over abundance.
How to use eggs on the homestead:
- Give them away-Share the wealth with your friends and family. I’m sure they would love to have some colored, fresh eggs from your homestead.
- Sell them-Set up a sign in your yard or take them to the farmers market. Wherever you sell them, you can bring in good money selling fresh eggs in your area.
- Freeze them-Crack a dozen eggs into a freezer bag (or ice cube tray) and freeze them for later. Then you can use them in scrambled eggs or omelets.
- Keep them in the pantry-As long as you don’t wash them, eggs can be kept in the pantry for several weeks at a time without refrigeration. Fun fact-Stores in Europe don’t keep their eggs in the refrigerated section. They are on the shelf with other goods. When keeping eggs in your pantry, try to use them in order so they don’t get too old. You can date your cartons or have some kind of system of putting new ones in the back. Whatever helps to keep you organized.
- Try some new egg dishes for your family-Move over boring breakfast! Here are some fun egg recipes that will help your family eat up more eggs daily.
- Dehydrate them-I haven’t done this yet, but you can dehydrate eggs and store them for later. Here is a post about just how to do that!
Eggs can be a valuable commodity on your homestead. There is nothing quite like getting a fresh egg from the chicken coop and making your breakfast with it the same day. Now that’s fresh food!
How do you love to use your eggs? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this post helpful, please share. Thanks!
If you are thinking about getting chicks this spring, I have prepared a free class called “Taking Care of Baby Chicks” that will walk you through taking care of chickens from chick to hen. I hope it helps you get the confidence to raise chickens on your own.