xt76ww76vc30 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt76ww76vc30/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1946 journals kaes_circulars_004_424_02 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 424 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 424 1946 2014 true xt76ww76vc30 section xt76ww76vc30   `
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  Clean, fresh eggs of uniform size and color, are the kind consumers want.
. 
  Circular 424
ii 
  UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
  College of Agriculture and Home Economics
  Agricultural Extension Division
  Thomas P. Cooper, Dean and Director
gf

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CONTENTS  
Page   _ P
~ I 1)l`lC<
Clean Eggs Sell Best ..4.......,....... . ........................................ 3   and
Strong Shells Mean Less Breakage ...................................... 4 ii easie
Size, Shape, and Color Depend on Breeding .................,,..... 4   I
Produce Infertile Eggs for Market ..............,....................... 4 ’· will
Quality of Yolk ond White .......,........................................ 6 _ with
Farm Practices That lhfluence Quality .......,.,..........,.....   8   the
¤_ Orat
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  hens
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This circular is 0 revision nf   bY I
Circular 349   Zlfui
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  arra
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-» 3

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» Good Eggs for Market *
BY STANLEY CAroN
FOR TOP QUALITY at marketing time, eggs must have the best of
 `_ care before marketing. Though the inside of the egg cannot be im-
  proved in quality after the, egg is laid, its "fresh quality" can be
if kept for several days with the right care. With poor care, on the other
  hand, the quality will be lowered very quickly. Both the quality of
  the inside of the egg and the condition of the outside must be con- _
  sidered in producing good eggs for market. Good outside condition
  means clean, strong shells, good size, and uniform shape and color.
  Clean Eggs Sell Best
  No matter how fresh they may be, eggs do not bring the highest
V price if they are not clean. Dirty eggs are not pleasing .to customers
  and are hard to sell. Clean eggs, on the other hand, are attractive and
A easier to sell. .
_, Even with the best of care, under practical conditions, some eggs
i. will be soiled when they are gathered. Clean the few that are dirty
with emery cloth or fine steel wool. Don’t wash dirty eggs because
t the washing removes the protective "bloom" and permits rapid evap-
  oration from the inside of the egg. ‘
V The most common causes of dirty eggs are mud from the hens’
  feet in wet weather, dirty hen—house Hoors, broken eggs caused by
  hens crowding on the nests, not gathering the eggs often enough and A
  gathering in dirty containers. For clean eggs, therefore, avoid these
  causes so far as possible.
,  Keep the hens in the laying house until one or two o’clock in the
  afternoon, if the ground is muddy. Most of the eggs will be laid
  by that time and the flock will still have plenty of time to range
  after that. ·
 -. \Vire netting stretched over the roost poles, above the droppings
 . board or pit, will keep the hens from carrying filth to the nests. This
`  arrangement also helps in the control of parasites and diseases. One
 . and one-half inch mesh, 14 gage, poultry netting is a good size.
  A deep litter on the floor of the laying house helps to keep the
  hens’ feet clean. The nests should be kept bedded and clean. One
  broken egg in a nest may soil other good market eggs. Provide at
°  least one nest for every four hens and gather the eggs frequently,
  especially in the forenoon when most of the eggs are laid.
ET  i 3

 · 4 5,
Strong Shells Mean Less Breakage
Eggs with strong shells stand shipping and handling much bet-
ter than those with thin shells. Keep plenty of shell—forriiing mater-
ial, such as limestone or oyster shell, before the hens all the time. .
Hens must have direct sunshine (or cod-liver oil) in order to form
strong-shelled eggs.
Size, Shape, and Color Depend on Breeding  
The size, shape, and color of eggs are largely determined by breed-  
ing. In determining the grade of eggs, weight is an important fac- .  
tor, and is usually expressed in ounces per dozen. Eggs of the best
grade, which bring the highest prices, weigh at least 24 ounces per
dozen. Don’t mix small eggs (those weighing 22 ounces per dozen or ~ 
less) with the larger eggs, for the smaller eggs lower the grade.
Market eggs should be oval and uniform in shape. Very large V
eggs, which usually have two yolks, and very long eggs should not
be marketed-—at least not with the eggs of standard shape and size.
Long eggs are easily broken when packed in an egg case, and when y · E2-:
broken are likely to soil other eggs.
Don’t mix brown-shell and white-shell eggs in the same carton s
or egg case, for such mixing breaks the uniformity of the package and t ~
makes it less attractive in appearance. The color of the shell is no in- ,
dication of the quality or the food value of an egg. Some buyers,  
however, prefer brown-shell eggs, and others prefer white. il
Produce Infertile Eggs for Market  
Fertile eggs begin to incubate, even at a temperature no higher  
than 68 degrees l·`ahrenheit. After a short period of incubation, blood  
appears, and this makes the egg unfit for eating. Such an egg is shown  
in Fig. l. l\Iuch of the loss of Kentucky   is due to the fact that  
they are_l`ertile. lnfcrtile eggs lose quality much more slowly than  
fertile eggs when the temperature is over 68 degrees Fahrenheit—as  
i it usually is in suntnter. The infertile   shown in Fig. 2 is still good,  VQ
though it was kept under the same conditions as the egg shown in ’ 
Fig. l. Occasional nteat or blood spots in   also influence qttalil§\ n 
but the producer cannot control these. They are the result of some  
disorder in the organs of the hen.  
  Fig.
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_ Fig. 'l.— A fertile egg which hos been kept ¤t `l03 degrees F. for 48 hours. Blood
_ hos formed ond mode the egg unfit for food.
. /· ` I V.   . _
5 .
’ ,`._ _ Fig. 2.+ An infertile egg which hos been kept ot 'l03 degrees F. for 48 hours. lt
;;_ is still good for food. The white spot in the center is found in oll eggs.

 6
Quality of Yolk und White 4
The quality of an unbroken egg is judged by the use of an egg i  
candle. By taking the right precautions, however, farmers can be con- ·  yy
Hdent of marketing their eggs in good condition without use of an  
egg candle.  
· In candling eggs, the air cell in the large end of the egg is used {
` as a guide to determine whether the egg has been properly cared V  
for before marketing. In a well-kept egg, this air cell is small, not  
more than one-eighth of an inch in depth and about the size of a Q  
dime. As the egg ages, evaporation takes place and the air cell be- f  
comes larger. Keeping eggs in a dry, warm room results in such  
rapid evaporation that the egg soon loses its good quality. The air _  
cell should not be movable but should remain in the large end of the    
egg. A freely moving or bubbly ~air cell lowers the grade of the egg. ~  
This defect is often the result of careless handling and packing.  
The characteristics of a fresh egg are shown in Fig. 3. The yolk  
stands up well and there has been no breaking down of the albumen, ·  
or "white." The dense layer of albumen next to the yolk is firma and , ml
distinct from the thinner layer. As the egg ages, however, the char- A V T9- 4
acteristics of yolk and dense albumen change, unless the egg is kept · cys`
under the very best conditions. The egg shown in Fig. 4 is four days .
old, but has been kept in a cooler at 34 degrees Fahrenheit and it still f -
has the quality of a fresh egg. In Fig. 5, however, is shown an egg  
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I Fig. 5
;L5h‘3.—A strictly fresh egg. Note the condition of the thick albumen und NW Aj, at tug
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V Fig. 4.- This egg was kept where temperature and humidity were right, for four ·
days. It still has the quality of a fresh egg.
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Fig. 5.- Flattened yolk and liquid albumen indicate that the egg has been kept
· at too high a temperature.
r 1 '

 8
» which also was four days old when broken, but it had been kept at  
room temperature (75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit) during the four days  
and its quality had been lowered. Note that the yolk has flattened  
out and a larger area is covered by the thick albumen, which has  
begun to break down. The yolk is_ held in the center of the egg by  
the thick white. As the egg ages in a warm, dry room the white be- _  
. comes more liquid, allowing the yolk to move freely when the egg gifx
is twirled before the candle. Some eggs which are strictly fresh may j  
have these characteristics, but not as a rule.    
The color of the yolk is influenced by the feed. Hens which do    
not receive plenty of green feed or yellow corn, produce eggs with    
pale yolks. Alfalfa, clover, or lespedeza hay have the same effect on    
yolk color as green feed. Some consumers prefer eggs with pale yolks.   V  
In most instances the only reason for this preference is that the high- Z·  
quality eggs which they have been using happened to have pale yolks. ’  ` 
The food value of eggs with deep yellow yolks is equal or superior to ··Vp  e
that of eggs with pale yolks.  
 Ti"}?
Farm Practices that Influence Quality  ·‘  
There are certain practices which the flock owner must follow if _ ..V; A
he is to produce eggs of high quality. _  %
Breeding.— Size, color, and shape of the egg are inherited char-    V.
acters. Select for breeding stock hens that lay large eggs, and use r  Fig. 6.
roosters known to be from parents which were selected for large eggs-   °ggS’
Feeding.- Hens must have the right kind of feed if they are to   md
produce eggs of best quality. Unless the feed contains the needed  ‘; gnoul
nutrients, such as protein, minerals. and vitamins. the eggs will be   thati
lower in food value than they otherwise would be, and the hens will   The
not lay as many eggs as they otherwise would. Therefore, keep a com-   cowl.
plete ration of grain, mash, and water or milk before the hens HK   hens
all times. Also keep oystershell or ground limestone before the l1€H5   med
at all times, for strong egg shells. The egg shell is particularly ztf-   Keep
4 fected by feed. Cod-liver oil in the laying mash in winter aids in i  of {gg
producing strong shells. In summer, if the hens are on range part of  " them
each day, they will get enough direct sunshine and will not need C0d·   Fi fCC·
liver oil.   CODES
H0using.—- The right kind of laying house and the right kind of   géah
equipment for it, aid greatly in producing clean eggs, as well as in   IC (
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Fig. 6.+ Large eggs, 24 to 26 ounces per dozen, are desirable for market. Small
‘ eggs, less than 22 ounces per dozen, are discounted on many markets.
roducin the maximum number of e s. The house should be lar e
gg _
Ai enough for the hens to be kept 1n during wet weather. That means
that there should be 3% to 4 square feet of floor space per hen,
_  The floor should be made of concrete or of boards, and should be
T covered with a deep litter all the time. Dirt floors lead to unhealthy
L  hens and dirty eggs. There should be enough nests so that the hens
need not crowd into them-] nest for every 4 hens is about right.
_ Keep the nests clean and well supplied with straw. Provide plenty
of feed and water containers, so that the hens need not crowd around
A  them. That means at least l foot of feeder space for each 4 hens—or
v‘ 3 feed hoppers 4 feet long for 100 hens. A droppings pit and a water
»  container with a slatted platform around it help to keep the hens ·
·  healthy and the eggs clean. (The laying house and its equipment
` are described in more detail in Circular 403, "Shed-Roof Poultry
T F
* l

 IO 1 1
House for the Laying F1ock," and Leaflet 93, "Laying Flock Man- al‘0U1“l<
agement.") _ 1 for gal
. . . a
Roosters.-   quahty can be greatly improved by producing 3/I
. . . . oo ,
only mfertile eggs after the hatching season or during warm weather. E8 d
. . e
A fert1le egg starts germ development at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. As - f 8g
. . ·   r
soon as blood forms the egg 1S unfit for food and lS a total loss to 11 1; ,[
. ¢ on
. the producer. Infertile eggs have no germ development. Sell the · k
. . . 1 erose
roosters immediately after the hatching season, or keep them separate 2
from the hens il Odom
, Care of eggs.— Gather the eggs frequently, especially in hot   Ml
. . ‘   soon a
weather. Four times a day 1S not too often. Breakage and the num- ,1 k
. . . . ;L mar e
ber of d11`[y eggs w1l1 then be greatly reduced. A wire basket IS ·
.... . . 1: a e a1
1deal for gathermg and holding eggs, as it allows Zl11` to circulate ;_   t
 j- time
V  Ke
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Fig. 7.— A wire basket is ideal for gathering and cooling eggs.  

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i around the eggs and cool them quickly. Use only clean containers
for gathering eggs.
Market eggs should be kept in a cool, moist room. A cellar is
— good. Don’t keep them in a place where the temperature goes above
68 degrees Fahrenheit, or below freezing. After the eggs have cooled
V for 8 to 10 hours, pack them in cases, placing the small end down.
. Don’t keep market eggs where there are strong odors (such as of
kerosene or onions), for the eggs quickly absorb the flavor of such
  odors. . {
= Murketing eggs.-— Eggs deteriorate with age. Market them as
» soon as possible, at least twice a week. In bringing eggs from farm to
market careful packing and handling are necessary to prevent break-
· age and interior damage. If enough eggs are not available at one
¢ time to fill a 30—dozen case, a l5—dozen fiber case may be used.
i Kentucky farmers who are making poultry an important source
of income should be interested in producing and selling eggs of the
` best quality. In Kentucky the country storekeeper, huckster, and
it produce buyer usually pay for eggs according to count, regardless
_ of quality; therefore, in self protection, they must pay a lower price
s than top quality eggs should bring. It is known that eggs from the
. middle west do not bring so good a price on the major markets as
e  those from certain other sections of the United States. Poor quality .
is the principal cause of this discrimination. However, farmers who
  are producing high-quality eggs should be paid for the1n.accordingly.
 j lf the local market does not pay more for eggs of high quality than
  [or poorer grades, the producer should try to hnd a better market.
pl Under existing conditions the lapse of time from producer to con-
J  sumer is so great that the quality of the egg is lowered decidedly
  when it reaches the consumer. Many flocks are too small to justify
  the producer making frequent trips to a market other than the coun-
·  try store. The development of larger flocks in local areas would pro-
  vide enough volume to make frequent trips to market economical.
; 

 A r K M0 ·
_T__. ..... ._ .- _.-___._......  
` 
KENTUCKY FARMERS con goin more prof- A  Q
it from their loying flocks by morketing top-  
quolity eggs on o morket where such eggs  
bring o premium in price. Such top—quolity  
eggs ore . . . y 
Lorge, but not oversize   P
Normol in shope; not too long nor   t
too round li  I
Cleon, uniform in color -   l
it 
Strong-shelled; from well-fed hens ?  (
Fresh; kept in ci cool, moist room,  
ond morketed frequently .  il, l
  ·
For the production ond -morketing of such i' 
eggs, no high—priced speciol equipment is  Q
needed, ond very iittle more work is required SQ 
thon for overoge or low-quolity eggs. Whot  
is needed is moinly good, procticol produc-  
tion proctices ond business—like core.  
§ 
lcxiiiguui. Kemucky  
Scpieinber. l9lli  
li
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics: University of Kentucky.  
College of Agriculture and Home Economics, and the United States Department of Agrlcul- l
CUTE, COOQBYBHXIQ. Thomas P. Cooper, DiTBCtOT. Acts E·Dp1'OV€d by Congress MBY 8 Bud {
June 30, 1914. r
12‘§M—-9·46 .  
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