The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: laurelrus on February 03, 2016, 01:40:04 pm
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We just about have enough eggs to start giving some away to friends and neighbours. Hopefully at some point we'll have enough to sell but for now at least we're not buying eggs any more!
I've bought some egg boxes and I'd like to know what information I should put on. I know that we don't need to be registered so there's nothing official, but I'd like to put helpful info about storage, eat by date etc. and I'd be glad of advice.
Thanks
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Do you have q rubber stamp with your info or address on it? You could print labels giving the breed of hens, that the eggs are collected fresh every day, what the hens are fed on and anything else you can think of that shows they're high welfare hens that produce eggs superior to supermarket ones.
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Thanks, Marches Farmer, that's exactly what I wanted to know.
I think I'll print my own labels and put all that info on.
Should I recommend the eggs are eaten within a particular time or kept under a specific temperature?
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There are recommendations (sorry, my phone won't let me find the link) on the gov UK website somewhere.
You must be careful with phrases like "fresh" or "free range" as there are very specific details that must be true to use them. Ours say "eggs from free ranging hens" which avoids this distinction.
I believe you must put something on that has a use by date, which must be no more than 28 days from day of lay (we say "eat within three weeks" and ensure no eggs are left out for more than 7 days from lay) and although you should not allow them to get hot or cold before selling to avoid disrupting the "bloom", you should advise refrigeration to customers.
That's just off the top of my head, check the gov UK recommendations for all the legal wording.
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Personally, I love when I get homegrown eggs from someone who writes the name/s of her chickens on the box saying "produced by henrietta, margery and florence in our garden" or something similar
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Thanks, I'm going to print some labels using this advice!
fsmnutter - can you explain what you mean by no eggs are left out for more than 7 days after lay?
I like the idea of putting the names of the hens on the boxes!
Thanks
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We collect eggs daily and fill boxes, then put them in the honesty box. They only stay there until they are up to 7 days laid, then I'll use them myself. Sorry if I was unclear!
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Honestly, keep it simple and if your giving them away then you dont have to label them at all.
If you are selling - name, address, telephone and free range. You do not need to add endless lists of pointless notes on how to store. You can put 'store in fridge' however it is not strictly necessary.
You do not need to put dates on. If I am selling to an establishment then I have to stamp the eggs but I am registered. I would then date the packaging.
Storage is fine no regulations on days out after lay lets face it you wont be layer them in trays and keeping dates this is more retail.
I print my labels on special paper to keep costs low.
Like I said you are only doing a couple or so boxes just keep it simple and if yr giving away dont worry about it.
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The onerous regulations are mostly directed at supermarket retail sales. If people are buying direct from the farmgate traceability isn't an issue. I personally find the thing about "Almond Cakes - may contain nuts" and "Do not put this plastic carrier bag on your head", both insulting and infuriating. OK, so store your eggs on the radiator - they'll be ready cooked for breakfast!
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I understand that eggs up to 3_weeks old can be sold as fresh....
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Short article here covering selling eggs that might be useful:
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/poultry/selling-eggs/ (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/poultry/selling-eggs/)
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Thanks Dan, that's really helpful ;D
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We stick a simple label on the ones we give to friends. I've created it as an image file and then you can use the Tools > Labels function in Word to turn it into a page of labels that will print out on a sheet of labels from Staples (the 8 per page size). We use a highlighter pen to indicate when they were laid and as others have said, people like seeing the names of the ducks that laid them and their pictures on the box. :&> :&> :)
Magnus
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Honestly, keep it simple and if your giving them away then you dont have to label them at all.
If you are selling - name, address, telephone and free range. You do not need to add endless lists of pointless notes on how to store. You can put 'store in fridge' however it is not strictly necessary.
You do not need to put dates on. If I am selling to an establishment then I have to stamp the eggs but I am registered. I would then date the packaging.
Storage is fine no regulations on days out after lay lets face it you wont be layer them in trays and keeping dates this is more retail.
I print my labels on special paper to keep costs low.
Like I said you are only doing a couple or so boxes just keep it simple and if yr giving away dont worry about it.
Depending on who you are selling to, the info below could be overkill but I wanted to correct some statements by farmers wife.
If you are not registered as a producer you do not need to grade the eggs but with that you cannot call them 'free range' as that is a protected term. If you use 'free range' you must meet all the other requirements of the regulations.
Even if private sale you must add a best before date (4 weeks from lay)
And finally annoyingly you can't size them. I say annoyingly because it is very rare that I ever have an egg smaller than Xl (73g) and never have one smaller than L (63g) from anything other than a pulled.
Link below for more info
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2005/01/20545/50293 (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2005/01/20545/50293)