Were they always covered in shit (literally), am I just noticing this, or are standards slipping?

Cos we really don't need to see this.

I mean, I know where they come from, but this is not on.

I think they leave it on the free range ones so that you think its more natural or something, but its gross.

Get yerself some chooks!

Oh where do we get them from and when in rented accom will they let us?

Most 'pet shops' around here have them, I would imagine if you are renting then it might be difficult unless the property already has a coup.

They are great fun though, ours are ex-chickens since a fox decided it was hungry ... we need to strengthen the coup before we get more.

Indeed, and they stink, so now I have a phobia of touching eggs.

...and do you wash yer eggs or just leave them all rustic and au-naturale?

Washed definitely ... but if you saw what came out of our gutters this week it's a wonder we are alive

Our pool is now home to a few frogs too.

Rustic living, love it

just as well you have acerage, to keep those nasty smells at bay.

Aye, talking of which, the grease trap and septic are due a clean out ... I think I'll leave that to A Man Who Can.

Bleugh - I am not made for the country, washing eggs doesn't seem so bad compared to cleaning out septic tanks!

Him outdoors has no problem doing them, I think he's weird I lock the house up and go out for the day, the grease trap can be feral.

Our sullage tank (grey water) pump broke on Christmas Eve, that was a fun stinky week waiting for a plumber.

That is definitely a 'pay someone' job ... I've fixed the washing machine this week, I've done my bit ...

The first year he did it, he discovered that Nutty Nora the previous owner had probably never had it done in 10 years.

Careful if you wash eggs...get the temperature wrong and some of the poo that was on the outside might end up on the inside!

http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/...gg_graders.pdf

Washing dirty eggs

As egg shells are porous, washing can allow microorganisms to enter through the pores of the shell. If a negative
pressure is created within the egg it may draw wash water into the egg(!)

the temperature of the water to be used at all stages of the washing process (eg wash, sanitise and rinse)
with appropriate temperature differentials observed (eg in a three stage wash process the wash water
should be between 41 and 44°C, the sanitising water temperature should be 2 to 3°C higher than the wash
water temperature, and the rinsing water temperature should be 2 to 3°C higher than the sanitising water
temperature),

the pH of the wash water (eg pH ≥ 10.5 to be obtained)

Kinda complicated!