Do I have to wash the egg shells?

[audioguy]

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There is a product called OXINE that is used as a disinfectant for anything to do with cleaning chickens and their eggs. I use in our water system to keep out the slime and other bacteria that could be present in standing water.
Here are a few pics of the water system. The OXINE is mixed at a rate of one ounce per 30 gallons of water. I got it on ebay.
The label says its also used to clean eggs. We just go our first egg yesterday!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/73334_0817111901.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/73334_0817111902.jpge

The PVC has been painted black and raised.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/73334_0817111903.jpg

I like your automatic feeder.

Thanks. Costs less than $20 to make. No more cleaning the water every day! I will be using a heated cable to keep it water in the winter.

 

[Animalian]

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I use Grape seed extract for that, 10 drops in a 2litre waterer. I only have four hens so everything is small scale. I was recommended it for it's anti-viral/anti-fungal/anti-bacterial properties when one of my hens was ill and I noticed her water was WAY cleaner than the other hens after a day or two. Use it all the time now, never a trace of slime and no body has got sick again

Even put it in the dogs water when he has stomach issues! Fixes him right up! Awesome stuff, they sell it as a natural water purifier for camping etc.

Anyway... egg cleaning, guess it could work for that too

 

[brahmakid11]

yes i think you should wash them

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm sorry. This will be a bit long.

When a hen lays an egg, she puts a coating, called bloom, on the egg. The purpose of the bloom is to inhibit bacteria from going through the shell. After all, the egg has to resist bacteria going through the porous shell long enough for the hen to lay a clutch of eggs then incubate them for 21 days, even longer for turkeys or ducks. The bloom does not absolutely prevent bacteria from entering the egg each and every time without fail, but it slows that process down. If the egg is dirty, whether with poop or just mud, the bacteria can get through, especially if it is damp. If you wash the bloom off, it is easier for the bacteria to get through if the egg is exposed to bacteria.

An egg will last longer in the refrigerator than it will stored on your kitchen counter, whether it is washed or not. Bacteria do not multiply as fast in the cool temperatures of the refrigerator as they will on your warmer counter. Bacteria have to enter the egg to multiply. If they never enter, then it doesn't matter that much where you store them. A turkey keeps the eggs around 100 degrees for 28 days when incubating. That is a great temperature for bacteria to grow if they are present. They are usually not present on the egg, otherwise the poults of chicks would not hatch.

If I wash eggs, I store them in the refrigerator. If I don't wash them, I store them on my kitchen counter. I don't like to put unwashed eggs in the refrigerator since they may carry bacteria on the outside of the egg in with them. I don't like to store washed eggs outside the refrigerator because the bloom is gone.

When you wash an egg, you need to use water that is a little warmer than the egg. I've normally seen 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer suggested. The egg has an air sac in it. If the egg is washed in cooler water, that can cause the air in the air sac to contract, creating a suction that can pull in wash water through the porous shell. That wash water might have bacteria in it. If you use warmer water, the air sac expands, keeping water from coming in. When the egg cools back down, it can pull water in if the egg is still wet, but hopefully that is clean water.

The big commercial operations wash their eggs. From a liability viewpoint they have to. It's probably a legal requirement too. When they wash them, they use a special "wash" to get them clean, but they also put something back on the surface to inhibit bacteria from entering, somewhat similar to bloom. I would still store the commercial eggs in the refrigerator. Some places sell a special "wash" for the eggs, McMurray hatchery for example.

So, do you have to wash the eggs? Many of us don't, but a lot do. There is the possibility that there could be some bacteria on the outside of the shell when you crack it, so there is some risk, even if you cook it. You might contaminate something else, similar to handling raw meat. As long as the egg shell is clean, you cook the egg well, and you take precautions about spreading the bacteria with the shells similar to when you handle raw meat, you should be OK. But you are undoubtedly safer if you do wash them.

 

[JodyJo]

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by washing them, you wash off the bloom, which in turns removes the protective layer that prevents bacteria from entering the egg.

I do not wash mine, when I sell them, I instruct the buyers to rinse them, before using them.

 

[audioguy]

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Great info!! As an engineer, everything you said makes sense, including the air sac. One question - if you do wash them in water warmer than the egg, and them place them in the fridge, will the egg absorb all the odors in the fridge since the sac will then act as a pump as it cools to draw in the smells? Would you advise to leave them out after washing to allow them to get back to room temp before placing them in the cooler?

From what I found out, the bloom is a by product enabling the chick to get the egg out in the first place. Its like a lubricant and sealer all in one.
Good advice to whether or not to leave them on the counter. The OXINE is an anti bacterial agent that removes any and all junk that might be living on the egg.

 

[JodyJo]

all great advice...I watched my one girl lay the egg, saw it hit the ground, all wet...in about 15 sec it was dry...the bloom, took it inside, not a dash of dirt or poop and hot from the oven FRESH!