All Year Round Birds

Poultry Eggs

When engaging in poultry farming for the purpose of egg production, it is a fundamental necessity to know what type of poultry eggs are possible for you to produce so as to determine the setup of your poultry farm.

The most common of poultry eggs would have to be chicken poultry eggs. Chicken poultry eggs are the predominant type of eggs that are usually found in our kitchen. These types of poultry eggs are what we usually use for food preparation, nutrition and cooking. Most references available usually refer to chicken poultry eggs unless specifically noted.

The standard chicken poultry egg is what is most commonly found in supermarket groceries. Most chicken poultry eggs available are white shelled chicken poultry eggs although brown shelled chicken poultry eggs are also easily available, usually in farmers markets. The color of the egg shell is predetermined by the breed of chicken that produces the egg. This color variation between eggs do not affect the flavor or nutritional content of the eggs.

There are also fertile chicken poultry eggs available. These chicken poultry eggs are the type of eggs which can be incubated in order to develop into chicks. It is often believed that these types of chicken poultry eggs are more nutritious than standard eggs but this is false. Fertile eggs require more extensive production processes and are, therefore more expensive. They are also liable to spoil faster than non-fertile eggs.

Organic chicken poultry eggs are those that are produced by hens that are given an all natural diet, without the aid of fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. Because of the complexity of production, these types of eggs are typically more expensive than non-organic eggs although there is no nutritional difference between the two.

Free range chicken poultry eggs are produced by hens that are supposedly allowed to wander outdoors instead of the usual arrangement where they are placed inside chicken coops. Because of this, production costs are higher therefore the eggs are more expensive. As with the other egg types, these types of poultry eggs do not have any additional nutritional value compared to other egg types.

Aside from chicken poultry eggs, there are also a number of poultry eggs produced by other poultry birds. However, due to the long established usage and, therefore, production methods of chicken poultry eggs, these types of eggs are a lot more liable to contain bacteria compared to chicken poultry eggs.

Quail poultry eggs are speckled eggs that range in color from brown to white to blue and are significantly smaller in size than chicken poultry eggs. Five quail poultry eggs would equal the content of one chicken poultry egg. These types of poultry eggs are often hard boiled to serve as garnishes, salad accompaniments and hors d’oeuvre.
Duck poultry eggs are usually larger than regular chicken poultry eggs. Duck poultry egg are more flavorful than chicken poultry eggs but are also higher in cholesterol and fat content. They are well suited for dessert recipes due to the richness of their content as well as their gelatinous properties. Producers of duck poultry eggs usually sell them in sizes ranging from very small sizes to jumbo sizes.

Goose poultry eggs are much larger than both chicken and duck poultry eggs. They are much more flavorful and rich than chicken poultry eggs and, like duck poultry eggs, are best used in dessert dishes. They are recommended for sparing use because of their very high cholesterol and fat content.

Turkey poultry eggs have brown speckled shells that are of white to cream color. Turkey poultry eggs are usually one and a half times larger than the larger sizes of chicken poultry eggs and are richer in terms of fat and cholesterol. Their flavor, however is very similar. Most turkey poultry eggs are usually available for hatching for more turkeys but are also available in some specialty markets.

Ostrich poultry eggs are rare and hard to find but one ostrich poultry egg can go a long way as a single ostrich poultry egg can equal twenty to twenty four chicken poultry eggs. Ostrich poultry eggs are usually salable for their novelty value. They are usually served in several large omelets or as scrambled eggs.

As shown here, there are a lot of choices for poultry farmers on what type of poultry eggs they would want to produce. Some eggs are best produced for their marketable value while others can be sold at higher prices because of their novelty. For more information regarding the type of poultry birds you need for the type of eggs you want, visit our shop poultry. They have good information resources about poultry as well as being suppliers of poultry birds.

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Poultry Egg Handling

The quality and quantity of the eggs you produce are directly affected by how well the flock is managed. A well balanced diet with the proper calcium content will produce quality eggs. However, once the chickens have delivered the eggs, the biggest factor to affect egg production and quality is proper egg handling.

Proper egg handling actually begins in the proper preparation of the area where the eggs are to be laid. It is necessary to keep a clean and dry environment for egg layers. A muddy or dirty environment for the layers will result in stained and dirty eggs which can be infected by bacteria. It is necessary to clean out the litter regularly.

Layer space is also an important factor. For fifteen hens, a minimum nesting box of four should be adequate. A larger flock of birds will require at least one nest for every four or five chickens in the flock. This is to limit the possibility of egg breakage due to normal traffic and the chickens’ egg laying routines. It is necessary to make sure that nests have a deep, clean later of litter to limit egg breakage and to help absorb wastes or materials from broken eggs.

Proper egg handling requires that you collect the eggs as soon as they are laid. Eggs that are allowed to stay too long in the nest are more likely to become dirty, broken or lose interior quality. The majority of chicken flocks will lay the majority of eggs by ten in the morning. It is recommended that they be collected as soon as possible. Collecting the eggs twice daily is also advisable, especially when the weather is at extremes of heat or cold.

Once collected, proper handling of the eggs involve containing them in easy to clean containers such as coated wire baskets or plastic egg flats so that there will be no stain from rust or contamination which are easy with other materials that are hard to sanitize and disinfect. Egg handling should be a delicate process and they should not be stacked too high. Eggs should not be stacked more than five to six layers deep. Too deep stacking of eggs is bad egg handling as this will increase egg breakage.

Collected eggs should not be rapidly cooled before cleaning. This type of egg handling can cause the egg shell to contract and pull dirt and bacteria on the surface into the pores of the egg when it is cooled. It is important to keep the temperatures around the egg constant before they are washed.

A good egg handling practice is to wash the eggs as soon as they are collected so that they do not get contaminated or lose interior quality. When washing eggs, it is good egg handling practice to keep the water ten degrees warmer than the egg which will make the egg swell and push out dirt that has gotten into the pores of the egg. If the eggs are extremely dirty, it is advisable to use only detergents that have been approved for egg washing. Cool and dry eggs quickly after washing.

The proper egg handling practice in storing eggs is to store the eggs’ small end down in the egg carton so that you can keep the air cell in the egg stable. The carton should be dated so that the oldest can be sold or used first and extra eggs can be rotated. It is advised to sell all the eggs you have harvested before three weeks have passed. Eggs should be stored in temperatures of 50 to 55 degree Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 70% to 75%. The storage materials and the storage area for the eggs should be odor free as eggs easily absorb odors.

In egg handling, there are still a lot of things to learn and to inform yourself about regarding the proper egg handling practices you need. A good source would be the Internet and a good website on the Internet is www.allyearroundbirds.com which have information as well as products for your needs.

Read more about poultry farming in All Year Round Birds. More information on Poultry Egg Handeling can be hound in the Egg section of the site. For more inspiration, you also check out Pet and Poultry Section.

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Farming Ostrich Chicks

Ostrich production is a relatively new concept for places outside of Africa, the ostrich’s natural home. Purposes for ostrich production are often for producing breeders or for slaughter purposes. Ostrich growers also profit from ostrich hides and ostrich feathers.

Egg production with ostrich’s often begins with a sexually mature female, commonly females at approximately two years of age, and a mating male. The arrival of the eggs is often at about five to ten days after the mating. Mating birds are easily identifiable as female ostriches often develop more color in the legs but not as much as the male ostriches.

Once the mating is done, the male ostrich will scratch a crude nest in the dirt where the female will then deposit the eggs. An ostrich lays a number of eggs, normally 15 to 20 eggs during one egg laying season. Ostrich eggs are big and usually weight at around 2 ½ to 3 pounds per egg.
Once produced, ostrich eggs should be collected immediately so as to prevent egg breakage. Ostrich eggs need to be stored at a temperature of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for seven days at the most. The eggs that were produced during the seven day period can be incubated together.

The percentage for egg hatching does not lower if eggs are properly stored. Like most poultry eggs, ostrich eggs require regular turning so that incubation attains maximum hatchability. Eggs with dirt should be carefully sanded so as to remove any dirt or foreign material that sticks to it. Eggs can also be washed if sanding does not work but the water must be kept at least ten degrees warmer than the ostrich egg.

When incubating ostrich eggs, lower temperatures will increase the incubation period for some hours which will allow the egg some more time to lose moisture. It is important to maintain the proper temperature so as to get a good hatch and any temperature adjustments should be in small adjustments only.

Humidity is also a critical factor in incubation. A 25% range of relative humidity should be right. A too high humidity will result in wet and puffy chicks.

Once the egg is broken most the way around or even just cracked, the chick can push itself out of the egg. It’s also okay if you give the chick a little help. Unless the incubation period has passed the forty second day, it is not recommended to force the chick out of the egg. This is because the navel of the chick may not have closed properly yet and may get infected. Ostrich chicks can easily die due to an infected chick.

Once the chick is completely hatched, it is necessary to check its navel and see if it is properly closed before it leaves the hatchery. It is advisable to treat the navel with a 7% iodine solution in order to prevent infections. Treatment may be repeated after two to three days. The navel of the chick should be checked again after a week passes. Should there be a dried umbilical attachment present, it should be pulled from the navel and the area should be treated with iodine again. This is to protect against the risk of navel infection and also yolk sac infection.

Chicks, when born, draw the yolk sac into their body as a primitive way of providing themselves with the necessary nutritional needs as well as a certain measure of disease immunity. It is advisable to keep from feeding the chicks for about three to five days so as to encourage their bodies to use the absorbed egg yolk.

The best feed for ostrich chicks are the commercial rations that have been specially formulated for the needs of the chicks specifically. Any additional items in the feed are unnecessary and will only add to the costs. A good ration for chicks should contain low protein, preferably at about 20% and high fiber. This should meet the nutritional needs of the growing chicks without resulting in a too rapid growth which will cause leg problems to the ostrich due to the additional body weight.

For more information on ostrich and other poultry birds, a good source in the Internet is at www.allyearroundbirds.com. They offer information about poultry raising and supply or lead you to other suppliers for the poultry bird you need.

The topic of poultry farming is best covered in All Year Round Birds. They have all the information you need when it comes to ostrich chicks. The Pet Articles can also give you other excellent related reading.

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