Frequently Asked Questions - Sth Gippsland Eggs
Here you'll find that most of your questions, maybe even all of them about our free range eggs will be answered.
In the case that we have missed something, feel free to contact us by completing the contact form or give us a call on the number below.
In the case that we have missed something, feel free to contact us by completing the contact form or give us a call on the number below.
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What does term “Free Range” eggs actually mean?
In April 2018, the ACCC announced a new Standard, whereby egg producers cannot use the words “free range” on their cartons unless the eggs were laid by hens that: - had meaningful and regular access to an outdoor range during the daylight hours of the laying cycle; - were able to roam and forage on the outdoor range; & - were subject to a stocking density of 10,000 hens or less per hectare, and that outdoor stocking density is prominently displayed on the packaging or signage. Our farm adheres to all the ACCC’s standards - a copy of which is available at: ACCC Free Range Egg Standard How do I know that your Sth Gippsland Eggs are really free range?
For some of you…“Seeing is believing!”… So come & visit us & our chooks at our free range egg farm located at 100 Devon Road, Devon Meadows, Victoria. You’ll see for yourself that our chooks are free to roam outdoors & do their thing and when you visit you might also choose to purchase some of Melbourne’s best free range eggs! You can also follow us on Facebook™ for regular live updates, videos & photos. Why would I buy your free range eggs over caged eggs?
The number one reason to by free range eggs in our opinion is the welfare of the animal. Our hens are free to roam, graze, enjoy the sunlight and flap their wings whilst having the option of being indoors when the weather isn’t great. The second major reason to buy free range eggs is amazing nutritional value. They are a great source of:
Finally and often most important for many of our customers, is that our eggs simply taste great! Read what one of our happy customers had to say about the taste of our eggs. Why would I buy Sth Gippsland Free Range Eggs over other free range eggs?
We are a small, local family run business that’s been in the egg business for 50 years in 2019 – so we are getting pretty good at what we do! We are a team that’s passionate, hard working & that respects & loves our chooks and all the animals on our farm. Our eggs taste fantastic because we follow a simple philosophy - happy & healthy hens lay the most delicious & wholesome eggs. So each day we wake up with a simple mission – to love our hens a little more than yesterday. It’s this approach to egg farming that’s seen our eggs placed in reputable, quality, independent grocery stores across Victoria… And helped us create a large & loyal following of Sth Gippsland Egg lovers that have been loyal customers for years. It’s only a matter of days from the time they’re laid to the time they get into store meaning that our eggs are super fresh too. We stick by the quality of our eggs & back our product with a 100% quality backed guarantee. Ultimately, it’s all up to personal taste, so if you haven’t already, go ahead and try our eggs and let us know if you agree! WHY ARE FREE RANGE EGGS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ORDINARY EGGS?
Free range eggs cost more than ordinary eggs because they cost more to produce. The standout variable with free range egg farming is the great outdoors! We cannot control outside temperatures when our hens go out to play… Nor can we control the feed and water intake whilst they are out roaming the paddocks. These few elements can hinder production significantly, therefore our production and return on investment will always be less than that of a caged producer that is able to control the crucial elements of egg production. The recent legislative requirement of a maximum of 10,000 birds per hectare has also increased the cost of maintaining outdoor range areas so land occupancy costs, whether rental or capital are also higher. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE EGGS?
Keep them in the carton you bought them in. The carton will help:
Keep them in the fridge on the middle or lower shelf as the temperature is more constant there compared to the fridge door where the temperature fluctuates more. You can keep your eggs at room temperature BUT… If you store them in the fridge they must then stay in the fridge until use because there is a risk of the eggs sweating from the warmer room temperature. When eggs warm up the chance of bacteria increases dramatically so remember than constant temperature is your priority! WHERE CAN I PURCHASE YOUR EGGS FROM?
You can purchase our eggs from independent grocery stores across Victoria. We really do have great coverage but in the instance you cannot find our eggs in a store near you, please send us a message and where you are located and we will let you know where a store near you is. In the off chance that there’s not a stockist nearby, you could tell your local store owner how much you love our eggs and that they might want to stock them in their store! Alternatively, you can buy farm direct every Monday & Thursday between 6am & 2pm at 100 Devon Road, Devon Meadows, Victoria. CAN I PURCHASE YOUR FREE RANGE EGGS WHOLESALE?
Absolutely.
We supply a range of businesses including cafes, restaurants, supermarkets & grocers, caterers & distributors across Victoria. If you are interested in becoming a wholesale customer, complete the contact form or give us a call and we can discuss working together. HOW LONG DO YOUR EGGS KEEP FOR?
Generally speaking our eggs taste and poach the best in the first couple of weeks but will keep in the fridge fit for human consumption for 6 weeks. As mentioned in another response, as we get our eggs from lay to store shelf within a matter of days, you can be assured that our eggs are eggseptionally fresh! WHY IS IT THAT YOUR EGG YOLKS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME COLOUR?
We’re all familiar with the saying “you are what you eat”. In the case of hens the saying should be “your eggs are what you eat”! Yolk colours vary depending on what food is consumed by a hen and… Because our lovely hens are free to graze in the paddock, each hen’s daily food intake varies depending on what they feed on each day. What do you do with your roosters? Ie the male chicks?
Our suppliers Hyline Australia rear our hens and deliver only female hens for egg production. can i eat eggs with blood spots?
Blood spots are usually caused if the hen gets a scare in the paddock or fright. They do not cause any human harm if consumed but as the egg doesn’t look pleasant it is usually disposed of for this reason. As part of our quality assurance our eggs pass through a candling process that allows us to look inside the egg and remove 99% of blood spots. Our ability to detect all blood spots is prone to error as it is dependant on the human eye so that’s why an an occasional egg with a blood spot may pass through the detection process. how long do you keep your hens for? what do you do with them after they stop laying eggs?
At around 75 weeks or 18 months of age the hens laying rates start to decline. At that point we sell them to further processors. Some hens end up producing further hens in a second laying cycle as they are sold to local families. We strive to ensure they are dealt with by reputable processors who treat them humanely. what do you feed your hens?
Our hens are fed a nutritionally formulated diet that is in accordance with guidelines stipulated by our hen breeders Hyline Australia. The feed usually consists of Australian sourced wheat, peas, soya bean meal and vitamins and minerals that assist the quality of egg shell such as shell grit and powder. As our hens are free to roam & graze outdoors they also get plenty of grass in their diet. From time to time our hens also feed on our left over fruit & vegetable scraps and carrots and cauliflower would have to be their favourites! how much do your eggs cost?
For specific pricing queries, please send us an email with your request and we will respond accordingly or give us a call on the number below. how quickly do your eggs reach the store from the farm?
In 2014 we visited the Netherlands & in particular MOBA, global leaders in egg farming technology. We introduced cutting edge grading, packing & processing equipment which allows us to have eggs on store shelves within a few days from the lay. This means our eggs are amongst the freshest in the industry! why are some eggs hells brown & others white?
Chicken eggs can be white, brown or even bluey-green. The main factor contributing to an egg’s colour is the breed of the hen that laid it. Although some people believe that brown eggs are more “natural” and healthy, the reality is that regardless of the colour, the nutritional value is the same. can we buy eggs direct from your farm?
Absolutely. You can buy farm direct every Monday & Thursday between 6am & 2pm. We are located at 100 Devon Road, Devon Meadows, Victoria. |
100 Devon Road
Devon Meadows, Victoria, 3997 |
Phone 03-5998-2233
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Email [email protected]
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