Where do you find eggs?

Answer 1

Under chickens?

If you are asking where people buy eggs for making pysanky, the sources are many.

Store-bought eggs: Many people simply buy chicken eggs at the grocery store. In small towns or rural area, you can often find good quality locally-produced eggs. In other places, the selection may be less wonderful, but decent white chicken eggs can often be obtained this way.

As with any eggs, inspect them closely, and discard those with cracks , odd shapes or too many surface imperfections (bumps, etc.). If you are using a new brand, you might want to use one of the "imperfect" eggs as a test egg to see if dye takes well, and to see if the eggs have been mechanically handled to the extent that they have dye-resistant stripes on them.

Watch out for organic eggs. Just because they have been produced (by the chicken) "organically" doesn't mean the shells are any thicker or that they have been gently washed. Test themas above. And watch out for those egg "tattoos" that some producers place on their eggs. They don't come off easily, and can ruin your designs.

Farmer's markets: This can be a good source of eggs, too, of all sorts. Ask how the eggs were cleaned, and if they've been oiled. Oiling the egg helps to keep it fresh longer, but ruins the egg for use in pysankarstvo.

CraigsList: You might be able to find local producers of eggs, particularly more exotic eggs like duck or goose, through Craigslist. Look through local adds (search for "eggs" or "fresh eggs") or place on yourself.

Internet sellers: You can buy egg shells (emptied eggs) of all sorts--chicken, duck, turkey, goose, emu, ostrich--on line. There are many suppliers of eggs for crafters on the internet, and prices and egg quality can vary a lot. Breckenridge Farms has gotten high marks from pysankary.

Before buying eggs on line, ask the seller how the eggs have been prepared, and how big the drainage holes are (as well as where the holes have been placed). Many sellers will scrub or chemically treat their eggs to make them white and pretty, but this can ruin the surface for dyeing. It is best to deal with sellers who only minimally clean their eggs (water rinse) or those who are aware of the special needs of pysankary.

eBay: the same caveats apply as for internet sellers. Some eBay merchants are simply resellers, and know nothing about product they are selling; others are rank amateurs, and may not properly package the eggs for shipment, or may empty the eggs poorly, leaving cracks that render the eggs unusable. Caveat emptor.