Eggs, meat and manure

In short

• Collect eggs at least once a day, twice a day in summer and in frost.
• Clean dirty eggs dry. If you wash them, the water must be warmer than the egg, and a washed egg goes in the fridge.
• Salmonella: only well-cooked eggs for vulnerable people; wash your hands after handling eggs.
• Meat: meat birds at 12–14 weeks, cockerels at 16–20 weeks, old hens for soup.
• Chicken manure is strong: never fresh on vegetables, only as mature compost.
• Selling eggs and meat has its own rules; check them before you sell the first egg.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Collecting eggs
2. Clean eggs and washing
3. Storage and freshness
4. Salmonella and egg safety
5. When eggs aren't right
6. Selling and sharing eggs
7. Meat: which birds and when
8. Chicken manure and compost
9. An egg and meat plan for the family
10. What the flock is worth
11. Common mistakes
12. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Flock value calculator
• Egg and sales record
• Meat record
• Manure and compost plan
• Egg, meat and manure calendar