Egg query

[chris]

Aye - they usually lay around 9am, but I'm in work then - always seem to miss them on the weekends... I'll try and hang around them this weekend though

Edit: all three go in the coop - so its hard for me to see (no windows) - just remembered that ;P they dont like to be far from each other I guess! Unless the non-layer is watching and learning heh

[Hilary B]

eggs do keep a bit better pointed end down. As Flum said, it's the air pocket (which is located at the big end). If the air pocket is not at the highest point, it tries to move, and I don't see how that could help the egg keep!
I doubt many chook keepers keep their eggs long enough for it to be a major problem.
If the membrane inside the shell doesn't give way readily, it may be the actual shell is a bit on the thin side, or the way you are cracking the egg. Bought or home produced (when we had chooks) the broken edges of the shell were normally enough to cut the membrane (except on turkey eggs!). I always crack shells with the back edge of a kitchen knife, which drives the edges into the membrane, just enough to get in properly.

[polo]

I'm hoping santa brings me a black egg skelter for Christmas!

[julesapple]

I've got a cream eggskelter, and put my eggs in the same way Flum does, although they tend to slide higgledy piggledy. All of our girls are counted large fowl, but they is a difference in the eggs' size. One of our smallest girls, Morag Pin-Up Chick, lays the biggest eggs.

We use a pencil to date the eggs and don't wash them unless necessary. Eggs are never refrigerated because I use a lot for meringues and they are best at room temperature for that. Our kitchen is quite cool though.

Jules

[chris]

eggs do keep a bit better pointed end down. As Flum said, it's the air pocket (which is located at the big end). If the air pocket is not at the highest point, it tries to move, and I don't see how that could help the egg keep!
I doubt many chook keepers keep their eggs long enough for it to be a major problem.
If the membrane inside the shell doesn't give way readily, it may be the actual shell is a bit on the thin side, or the way you are cracking the egg. Bought or home produced (when we had chooks) the broken edges of the shell were normally enough to cut the membrane (except on turkey eggs!). I always crack shells with the back edge of a kitchen knife, which drives the edges into the membrane, just enough to get in properly.

Good point, perhaps it's because they're still smallish eggs - I think I'm bothered about going all the way through the egg. I'll try tomorrow a bit harder!