bruno22rf Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 After trying a locally bought "free range" Egg recently and finding it to be totally devoid of any taste or colour to the yolk (pale, sickly yellow) I decided to try and trace its origin. Following the Salmonella debacle in the late 80's and the resulting "Lion" mark on Eggs along with the obligatory number now stamped on every Egg I thought that this would be a quick job. The website that traces Eggs does not recognise the number on my Egg and a search on Google found no trace whatsoever of the Farm named on the box so I thought I would give Trading Standards a bell to see if they could shed any light on the matter. Turns out that my local TS is now twinned with one in a faraway county and , as I gave the fellow my address, the question "Buckingham, Sir....which county is that in?" gave me little confidence. However, they suggested that I try DEFRA. Finally managed to speak to someone at DEFRA who knew what a chicken was but he said that it was not really their "thing" and that I should speak to the Egg Marketing Board - he would give me their email details because he assured me that they never answered the phone - in fact he had never had a email answered but I might be luckier? Turns out that the EMB closed down in 1971 so that could be why they no longer answer the phone?? Eventually I contacted the APHA (Animal and Plant Agency) who, apparently, deal with these issues. "We do have a couple of ladies that deal with non Lion marked Eggs", I was informed, "but I don't think they can trace them and they don't work Fridays". Contacting them again on Monday the "Ladies" were out of the office and it would be best to email them so I did....2 weeks ago tomorrow and still not the decency of a reply. With all the costs and Regs. forced on the producers of our foods by the Government and the EU isn't it wonderful to see that those in power are doing their bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 good effort bruno, Its heartening to know that DEFRA suggested the EMB that closed 45yrs ago, I hope you persist with this and the elusive ladies turn up for work sometime. Free range probably means the hens have access to a yard for 10 minutes a day anyway ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Bruno, you description of that egg suggests it is old. A fresh egg should have a golden yoke that stands proud. Good luck with your quest for accountability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Don't worry, the gummint is on top of it https://www.gov.uk/guidance/eggs-trade-regulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 It is a different system out here in rural France. I'm not quite sure how it works, but if I leave a bag of stale bread on the neighbour's gate on Saturday morning by the time I get back from walking the dog a box of ten eggs has appeared on our garden wall. All the eggs have handwritten numbers on them, the numbers seem to be between 1 and 31. All the yolks are deep yellow and the white cooks a lot quicker than shop bought eggs when poaching them. It's a strange system, but it seems to work OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 1&31 is the date At least that's what I used to put on mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I buy my eggs from someone who keeps chickens, the chickens do not have time to draw little lions on the eggs or the dates they were laid though. I have called round to find no eggs only to have the owner disappear into the henhouse to check the nest boxes and get some eggs.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les*1066 Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I buy my eggs from someone who keeps chickens, the chickens do not have time to draw little lions on the eggs or the dates they were laid though. I have called round to find no eggs only to have the owner disappear into the henhouse to check the nest boxes and get some eggs.... It's amazing what happens when you squeeze a chickens head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilR Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I buy mine locally at a farm gate and they're very large and often contain nice bright yellow double yokes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 My hens are free range doors are opened at 6am and closed when the last one decides to go in which in summer could be near 10pm.they have no limits as to where they can roam.the eggs are a fantastic dark yellow yolk and taste great.it always surprises me how people will drive past the farm gate eggs at £2.00 or less a dozen to get to the supermarket to pay around double the price for inferior ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 it always surprises me how people will drive past the farm gate eggs at £2.00 or less a dozen to get to the supermarket to pay around double the price for inferior ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 (edited) ? I think he is referring to the fact, one can get 15 eggs for £1 Edited March 27, 2016 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I think he is referring to the fact, one can get 15 eggs for £1 Yes I have seen those.they are the ones where the yolk is transparent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 No, I just wondered how you knew people who drove past your gate were going to the supermarket to buy eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 No, I just wondered how you knew people who drove past your gate were going to the supermarket to buy eggs. Because you see we country folk ain't as green as our cabbages.i has a conversation in a supermarket once and enquired of a lady why she chose to buy her eggs and veg there when only three hundred yards down the road was a farm shop at almost half the price.(not my one I add) she said she bought them in the shop as she knows they are fresh.the mind boggles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Fair enough, maybe the shop eggs are fresh. it was meant in jest to be honest as I'm a country lad too, and I pass loads of such signs each day. I don't stop at any of them either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Fair enough, maybe the shop eggs are fresh. it was meant in jest to be honest as I'm a country lad too, and I pass loads of such signs each day. I don't stop at any of them either. All taken in good humour.although as you know we are what we eat.so shame on you for not supporting your local farmers. Have a good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I do support my local farmers; I take all my perishable food waste to our rough shoot where the landowners mother feeds it to her hens and Guinea fowl. She gives me eggs in return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 You can't beat fresh free range eggs. That's the sole reason why I keep chickens. Will have to have a word about them not drawing little lions and dates on their eggs though,lazy ******* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Well done Bruno for making the effort. I am glad to see its not just me that does this sort of thing Friends often say how nice our eggs are but I cannot tell the difference with the free range eggs I have from my garden or the ones that I get from the shop, supermarket or otherwise. I think the yolk colour comes from diet and can easily be varied / enhanced. One of the reasons for a bland taste from an egg is washing it allowing water to penetrate the shell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Yes I have seen those.they are the ones where the yolk is transparent. They are clear on pricing then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I noticed my hens egg yolks are orange when they are running free in the garden eating the weeds. When OH penned them up for a while when he was doing some work in the garden the yolks went more pale yellow. Could be the chlorophyll from the plants gives the yolks a better colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I noticed my hens egg yolks are orange when they are running free in the garden eating the weeds. When OH penned them up for a while when he was doing some work in the garden the yolks went more pale yellow. Could be the chlorophyll from the plants gives the yolks a better colour. A little split maize will give them colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted March 27, 2016 Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 I've looked into this before ,it's the xanthophyll pigment in plants that give the rich orange yolk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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