From the Forum

Egg packaging & selling regulations I have nine hens and sell my eggs to friends, I have now been offered the chance of supplying to our local farm shop which will entail more chickens, housing etc. I have read the regulations but would like any practical advice on storing and packaging as this seems the most difficult area, can I use my kitchen or garage or build a packing shed, what is the minimum equipment I need, is it all worth it for ten dozen eggs a week?

You will need to do the following in order to be able to sell your eggs at the local farm shop: 1) Register as an Egg Packing Station by completing Egg Marketing Registration Form ERM2 2) Register your flock of hens by completing Egg Marketing Registration Form ERM2B 3) When you have registered you will receive a visit from your local Egg Marketing Inspector who needs to check that your flock has facilities for their welfare: drinkers, feeders, sufficient space etc., and they are being kept according to how you wish to sell the eggs: free-range, barn etc. The Inspector will also check where the grading is to be done and where the eggs are to be stored. If you will only be having a few dozen eggs per week then a storage area in your kitchen will be suitable, so long as they are kept cool and the temperature in the kitchen doesn't get too hot whilst baking etc.

4) If the Inspector approves of how the business is to be carried out he will forward a recommendation to the Regional Inspector.

5) The Regional Inspector then issues you with a certificate to produce Class A eggs. (All eggs that are sold to the public need to be Class A - i.e. perfect).

6) You will require scales for grading the eggs, a lamp to candle them and a stamp. For a small number of eggs a set of digital scales will be suitable. Professional egg grading machines cost £200 upwards and are not really needed just so long as your digital set is accurate. Any lamp strong enough to see through the shell is okay but you might like to purchase a specific candling lamp, available from most poultry equipment retailers. Rubber stamps - able to use food quality ink - can be purchased for about £18.00. The stamp will need to supply the type of egg production: O - Organic; 1 - Free-range; 2 - Barn; 3 - Cage. Then UK for country of origin, followed the flock number that the Regional Inspector will allocate you.

The UK is sectioned into regions for the purpose of the Egg Marketing Inspectorate, for example, if you live in Bury in Edmunds, your Regional Egg Inspector will be in Cambridge as this office covers the whole of East Anglia. More information about the Egg Marketing Inspectorate can be viewed at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/poultry/emi.htm Registration forms and a map of regional offices can be downloaded from this site.

Good luck with your new project chickens help please,my chickens are freerange in a large run fed on layers pellets and mixed corn every day,but they seen to be very thin on the breast bone Hybrid layers have been developed from light pure breeds such as leghorns over the years to require the least amount of food to production hence their profitability. They will feel light and bony BUT it is necessary to ensure that they are getting sufficient nutrition. Because producing an egg every day is a huge strain on the body, the hen must receive a good quality layers ration in the morning. They prefer corn so feed the layer's ration in the morning when they are hungry and make sure they have sufficient. They should clear it all up but I like to adlib feed so some is left in the trough - not too much or it will attract vermin. In the afternoon I give good quality wheat or cracked maize (which is higher in food value than wheat). You should also give green food, such as a brussels sprout stalk in winter or cabbage which is best hung up. Kitchen scraps which do not include meat are also welcomed - in the afternoon. Having established they are receiving sufficient quality food, then you can supplement their ration with one of the excellent vitamin supplements which are on the market or even a small amount of corn oil on the corn. Worming may also be an issue and make sure that the run is not 'fowl sick'. If at all possible, let them run free for a short time each day. I let my hybrids out of their run for an hour before dark so they can range for grubs or whatever takes their fancy and I am sure they really appreciate this. A final possibility might be a red mite infestation which can actually kill birds by sucking their blood so one of the sprays or powders to control this would be a useful idea. Otherwise check the eggs - if they are soft shelled or brittle they are not receiving sufficient nutrition.

And the question we can't answer.

What is a Grintern? It is something to do with drying onions but what does it look like and how does it work??