HELP! - I need WHITE chicken eggs.

[SofiaAmes]

I do easter egg painting with my children every year (american tradition) and have never had much of a problem finding white eggs in the past as the greek stores always have them. However this year it seems that Greek Orthodox Easter is not until May and therefore there are no white eggs in the stores (except a few at asda/waitrose/tesco that have lions stamped on them). I have spoken to every chicken club in the uk and can't seem to find someone with chickens that produce white eggs that haven't been stamped with lions who will sell to me.
I am in London.
Is there a mumsnetter with Leghorns or who knows of someone with white egg producing chickens who want to sell me a dozen or so?
Please help!

Don't know if its any help, but are there any local farms that might sell them?

Sofia could you tippex out the lions on the waitrose ones, or wash them off?

Do you hard boil the eggs first ? If so the markings should fade

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I'm American and we do fine w/brown eggs. The Lakeland kit paints right over 'em.

I don't think the lion washes off, but I do hardboil them first, so maybe that will work...I'll experiment tonight.
Thanks, expatinscotland, but it's too late to order a lakeland kit, and I've got an american kit designed for white eggs.
I've called a few local farms and am waiting for them to call me back.

I have already spoken to the Leghorn Club, Poultry Club, several British Egg Associations (bet you didn't know there is more than one!) and quite a few egg farmers around britain.

Could you use duck eggs? mine lay nearly white eggs, but we're no where near London I'm afraid.

sainsbury's?

Our French bolero blue lays very pretty pale blue eggs - any good?

sainsburys do specialist eggs which are v pale blue they would probablt dye well and aren't that expensive

Yes, I'd suggest duck eggs too. are preserved ones from Hoo Hing any good? Could you try the North Circ one if so?

Sofia, don't know about the eggs but did you get an email from me a few days ago? That childcare article's out.

I think I will have to go with the pale blue. Redsky are you in london?
Motherinferior, no I haven't received an email from you. Can you send it again. Thanks.

Is there a city farm nearby? they will probably have a variety of chickens and there are lots that produce white eggs. Several of my own do but unfortunately Derbyshire is a long way from London.

But I would definielty try a city farm or someone who keeps chickens. Sure there are some, even in London.

My only leghorn is a cockerel I'm afraid! All my chickens are brown egg layers I'm afraid. Have you tried the athenian grocery in bayswater as a matter of interest? they usually have them year round. And if you don't you can buy some greek bread and kaseri cheese instead, so it won't be a wasted journey, yum

pph thank you!! I knew mumsnet would come through. I called the athenian and they do in fact have white eggs. They aren't too far from us. And they are open tomorrow.

Why do you have a leghorn rooster? I had one as a child (along with 3 hens) and he was a truly awful creature...nasty mean dumb,crowed at all the wrong times and tortured the poor hens incessantly.

I LOVE cockerels! I had two as a child and they were both lovely.

Glad you found the eggs.

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hurrah! I'm so delighted....
we have a leghorn rooster because when we went chicken shopping after The Great Peahead Manor Chicken Massacre of 2004 (foxy did it) my dd (your namesake!) fell in love with him and wouldn't leave without him. He is very flouncy and flashy. Sadly for him, though, he is also a bantam and the hens are all fullsize. So he does crow, but only quietly (and we can't hear him from the house as he lives in the orchard) and if he puts once flouncy feather out of line the girls all peck him disdainfully.
He did try to get amorous with one of my light sussex the other day but she shook him off and another hen sat on him.

He rejoices in the name of "Bouncy the Bantam". He is trapped in bantam hell, poor thing!

ps go early tomorrow, it will be a zoo around the g.o.cathedral from late afternoon onwards

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