Questions to ask a farm about their eggs?

[tempestjewel]

I'd really like to start getting eggs from a farm. However, I'm really quite clueless about what to look for or expect in regards to farm fresh eggs. I did a search on my local craigslist and there is a farm the next town over advertising eggs claiming they are free range and pasteured, have large and extra large brown and a few blue. So, I'd like to email them, but I'm not sure what questions I should ask. I was thinking of at least this:

1. Do you supplement the chicken feed, and if so, with what?

Should I ask anything specifically about the health of the chickens?

I really don't know what else to ask, so any and all input would be appreciated.

Oh, and how long are "fresh farm eggs" good for since they don't come with an experation date (yes, I'm really THAT clueless )

[tabitha]

i would ask what they eat, in detail. and whether it is medicated, or whether they medicate the chickens through water. i would also want to know if they use miticide or other external medications.

i would want to know how many chickens they keep, and whether they are in a run or truly pastured. from the colors of eggs i think you can reasonably assume they have a mixed bunch of good breeds, a good thing.

fresh eggs are good in the fridge for at least 5 weeks.

[Taedareth]

Does it really matter if they use miticide? What's worse - eating eggs from chickens plagued with mites, or chickens that don't have mites anymore because they were dusted with miticide?

[tabitha]

well, i think that is a false dilemma. there are other ways to treat mites, many. a very simple one we employ is DE or diatomaceous earth. not everyone would ask about miticide because they might think it is harmless.

[tempestjewel]

:

[Taedareth]

Thanks for the tip about DE; I'll be sure to use that if/when we have chickens again someday. Does miticide in any way effect the nutritional value of the eggs?

[lrmama]

Chickens can't survive on pasture alone, so they'll definitely have supplemental feed.

[tabitha]

i doubt the nutritional value is changed, but most miticides are toxic and it would be silly to think they aren't inhaled, ingested and absorbed through the birds' skin.

[Red's DD]

Top of my list would be to ask for a tour. If it is clean and they are well kept that would matter a lot to me. Is the feed organic? And definately want to know about the antibiotics and hormones. Also if they are pastured, then I am assuming you don't have to worry about them being over exposed to light, which is a cruel way to get them to lay extra eggs. Free range, organic, hormone free, and antibiotic free would be a plus.