European Gardening: Woke up to snow, 1 by Baa

Baa wrote:
Southmede,

The difference in the taste could well be due to the breed. The supermarket eggs are often from Warrens (Asa Brown as was), these chickens are little egg factories and quantity doesn't always equal quality, there are a number of these types of hybrid chickens but the newer hybrids tend to have better tasting eggs. Feed type can also make a difference.

Best eggs I ever tasted were from a little bantam Light Sussex we had on one farm. The chickens there were all rescued, the RSPCA man would pop by to see if we'd take them on, usually after an owner had died. They had the run of the entire farm and slept in the calf house. Collecting the eggs was a bit of a nightmare though as this particular hen would fly at you and I've often had a pecked/scratched knee from her.

The up and downside to having chickens is the sheer number of eggs they produce! Mom can't manage to eat around 30 eggs a week, she sells a few to friends and family but still has a glut. Ask your neighbours if they would mind you having chickens, mom's neighbours seem to like them.

Here's our White Stars (Leghorn hybrids) as babies