One of the most common complaints I read about on various homestead groups is having a hard time peeling fresh farm eggs.
If you have an instant pot then I have a solution for you! Cook perfect hardboiled eggs that are a cinch to peel!
If you continue to have egg issues, read along for steps on how to create healthier eggs in your flock.
To cook perfect hardboiled eggs:
1. Put the tray that came with your instant pot inside it
2. Place your eggs on the tray in a single layer, you can place as many as will fit and pour 1 cup of water on the bottom
3. Put the instant pot valve on seal and set to Manual setting for 4 minutes
4. Once done, let the instant pot natural release, meaning leave the top valve on seal until the pot fully decompresses (usually about 10 minutes)
5. Once you can open the pot, gently remove the eggs with tongs or a spoon and place in an ice bath (put cold water in a bowl with ice) and let sit in the ice bath for 10-15 minutes
6. Now your eggs are ready to peel! If you aren't ready to eat them yet just put them in the fridge and peel them later. When peeling I usually gently smash the bottom of the egg on the counter then peel from there. The shell comes off easily.
If you continue to have issues peeling your eggs then it might have to do with the thickness of the shell. If the shell is too thin or weak it will be difficult to peel. Your hen's eggs should have a nice thick shell indicating good egg health. You can easily remedy weak shells with extra calcium. There are various methods for increasing the calcium in your flock's diet.
First ensure your flock is on a good layer feed. Use a feed that specifically states it is for Layers, meaning it is generally fortified with extra calcium for healthier eggs.
Second, to increase calcium the 2 most common methods are to either add Oyster Shells to the diet, or to crush up your egg shells and feed those to the hens. Personally I prefer the Oyster Shell method. One, if your eggshells are already weak then the Oyster Shells will be a more reliable source of calcium. Two, I've heard some say feeding egg shells has led to hens wanting to pick or eat the eggs. I know this is probably rare, but I like to remove this risk factor. Oyster Shells are fairly cheap, you can purchase from any livestock feed store or purchase here.
After about a week or so of adding extra calcium and ensuring your layers are on a good feed, you should see much healthier eggs with stronger shells that will be easy to peel.
Comments