We just wash ours prior to using

We don't wash ours either, just put them in a carton and leave on the counter

I didn't know eggs would keep that long. Our game hen eggs are sort of small, but the yolks are almost orange, a little strong tasting but in a good way..

We don't wash ours till right before we use them either.

So, my question today is: do you feed laying pellets/bits or not? What do you feed?

laying crumbles, seems they wasted more with pellets. Also throw out 5 way scratch feed.

oh, and I wash my eggs when they get collected.

I can show you how to build a feeder where they can't waste feed.

I had the exact opposite feeling...I felt like they wasted more with crumbles than with pellets. The feeders are under cover and hanging about 2" above ground, so no ants can get into them. Laying pellets are a balanced nutrition feed, so I don't supplement with scratch. When I turn my raised beds over, though, any grubs I find go to the chickens, and when I weed the beds, any weeds (along with grass clippings from the yard) go to the chickens. Last year, I was cutting some watermelons that I grew on the overhead trellis, and dropped 2...I put them in the chicken run, and they ate everything, including the rind!

I would pay attention to that

As would I!!

I always give my chickens watermelon in the summer. Have a neighbor that keeps three or four on my front porch when his come in and we can't eat um all. The chickens love them!! When I grow cabbage I throw a head of cabbage in for them too and I confess, I also give mine meal worms generally when they molt to help them refeather. They are spoiled and when they hear a bag crinkle they come running!! LOL!!

Mine that I built were gravity feeders. I made them out of plywood. They were about 2 feet wide and 1.5 ft front to back and about 2.5 ft tall. You basically make a box of of plywood and on the inside you make a ramp going from the back wall of the feeder to the feed opening which was about 1.5 inches tall and ran the width of the feeder. Make you a box out of 2x4s laid on edge around the opening that comes out past the feed opening about 3 inches. Cut one strip of 2x4 wire fence and staple it over the opening in the feed trough. The chickens have to stick their heads down through the fencing to get the feed and can't sling their heads sideways to throw the feed out on the ground.

do me a pic if ya can Nick, I think I got it. thanks.

I would but I can't get into photobucket at the moment.

ha, me either. I really hate photobucket sometimes.

You can't see it in the pics but I just cut the section of 2x4 fence and stapled it over the feed trough opening. It works like a charm. No more wasted feed.

THanks for the pic; nice design.

I feed laying pellets and throw some scratch on the ground for them. When I get home I turn them out to free range

Yep, mine free range almost every day too. Lost one to a red tail hawk not long ago while they were free ranging. With this crane fly outbreak they are happy chicken while ranging now!!