Chickens! Eggs!

I forgot to add this in the updates last night: the chickens are laying! and not just a few eggs, either. We're not getting about 13 eggs a day from our hens. It is sooooo lovely to have fresh eggs again.

Most of the eggs are the small pullet eggs, but one hen started laying by laying double-yolkers. Grandson Clayton got to have one of those for breakfast and he was amazed because he'd never seen one before.

Some random things about chickens, if you've never had any or are just starting out with a flock:

• you can tell when they've laid an egg because they will cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck-CLUCK-cluck-cluck-CLUCK--well you get the idea. Very contented, happy sound.


• they like to lay where other hens have already laid. So it's a good idea to keep on egg in the nest to encourage them to lay, if you can spare one. some people use marble eggs, others use those white china doorknobs. I leave an egg, since we've got plenty.
  
• Leghorns lay year-round, with minor breaks. Other breeds mostly take some time off to moult (that is, grow new feathers). They look pretty pathetic during the moulting process, bedraggling around minus feathers here and there.


• Leghorns are nervous and flighty, and noisier than other chickens. The old-time heavy breeds are quieter and calmer--but they eat a lot more than Leghorns and don't lay as many eggs during the year.


• Leghorns aren't worth dressing out for meat, the heavy breeds are, so it's a trade-off. any chicken over about 6 months old will be too tough for frying. I liked to can chicken because it was very tender and easy to use. But it's been a long while since we've dressed any out.


• Chickens lay fairly well for about 5 years if they're cared for. After that, what do you do with them? I know what I do: I call Swap and Shop, the local radio show, and give them away. Someone always comes to get them.


• Chickens need 14 hours of light a day to lay. We keep a light in the henhouse year-round.


• Chickens like a lot of water. We have a water warmer for winter months so their water doesn't freeze.


• Chickens also need grit. Ours get some naturally by pecking around in their yard; I also bake and give them crushed eggshell. You can give them small creek gravel or buy crushed oyster shell at the feed store for grit too.


• Eggs keep better if they're not washed because there is a natural protective coating on them. But these days people worry about stuff like Salmonella so it's probably safer to wash them and keep them in the fridge.


• Fresh eggs are good! But you already knew that.

Egg Coddler and Coddling

I found my first 2 egg coddlers at a yard sale. I remembered that my mother had some of these lidded porcelain containers, although I had no idea of their use.

A few years ago when I was visiting, Mom asked me to make her some coddled eggs. I knew nothing of the process and unwillingly attempted to make the eggs.

I was surprised and delighted at the way they turned out--egg perfectly set, yolk cooked by still runny, and flavored with herbs and butter.

When Mom passed away, I often made the eggs for Dad on my weekend with him. It was a ritual of sorts, I suppose, the whole careful process, the timer, the little dowel with a hook Dad had made especially to get the coddlers out of the pan.

Then Dad left us too, and a few coddlers made their way home with me. The one in the photo is smaller, holding one egg, but others will hold two. The designs are lovely and detailed, and the codddlers are so well crafted that it's a pleasure to hold one in your hands.

How do you coddle eggs? It's a simple process, really.

Here is how my mother taught me to cook eggs in them:

Put a pan of water on to boil. You will need to find the right size pan--the water needs to cover the coddler entirely except perhaps for the little ring on top og the lid. I use the 2-quart sized saucepan andthat is just right for the 2-egg coddler; you can put two or three of them into the pan to cook together.

While the water is coming to a boil:

Put a little bit of butter in the coddler, or butter the inside of the dish. Add any herbs you like (Mom liked chopped parsley, thyme andchives) or bits of ham, cheese, etc. You can vary the amounts to your taste.

Then crack one or two eggs into the coddler, depending on its size. Some of them are larger and hold two eggs, the smaller size holds one.

Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper, and put the lid on hand-tight.When the water boils, set the coddlers right into it.

My Dad had a short dowel with a cup hook in the end that was perfect for setting the coddlers into the water and taking them out. Set them so they don't touch each other.

Cook for about 5 minutes for the small size, or 7-8 minutes for the larger coddler. Lift out of the pan carefully. Your eggs should be firmly set, with the yolk still soft.

I found these website with recipes and instructions for coddled eggs:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/CoddledEgg.htm

http://www.egg-coddlers.com/recipes/

http://endlessbanquet.blogspot.com/2006/03/breakfast-week-1-coddled-eggs.html