Egg questions

[chevyman1986]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse but what is the best way to clean my eggs? Also how long are the eggs good for once laid in the coop? Thanks

 

[Nicole01]

I rinse mine under water, removing the bloom with my thumb right before eating.

If you wash them right from the nest, the water must be warmer then the egg or it may spoil faster.

I have no clue how long they last. We run out of eggs quickly around here. You can do a water test, if it floats its rotten.

If I pass eggs out, I wash in an oxine solution. I buy oxine ah online. I use it to disinfect my coop and I put it in their drinking water to keep the bacteria from growing. I love the product. I bought my gallon last year and it's half full still. Well worth the money($26).

 

[JadeMurphy]

I sell some of my eggs off the gate (our chickens pay for their own feed!), and I follow UK guidelines of a 'best before' date that is four weeks exactly from the laying date. We've never had any problems.

If they are to sell I always wash them with at least water but I don't bother most of the time with the ones for keeping.

 

[chevyman1986]

The question about how long there good is I mean if she lays at let's say 8am how long do I have to get it out of the coop! Thanks

 

[Kittyf]

I pick up our eggs daily from the nestboxes - but if they've been out a couple of days, the only danger is that a hen may go broody and want to sit the nest. The eggs will keep out there - even in warm weather, at least several days. Any longer than that and they are at risk of getting cracked, broken, eaten or sending a hen into a broody state.

I do not wash the eggs unless they are dirty as they are protected by the natural antibacterial "bloom". I keep my eggs indoors on the counter until used - usually no longer than a week.

If I do wash the bloom off an egg, I will either use it right away (within a day or so) or refrigerate it. Refrigerated, the eggs will keep several months, but who wants to keep eggs that long anyway?

When I do wash eggs, I just wash them with water and dry with paper towels. But as I keep the nest boxes clean, my eggs are usually clean. Sometimes a floor egg will be dirty - then I wash it it, dry it and use it right away. After all, I don't eat the shells...!

Kate

 

[terryg]

Hopefully the eggs are clean in the nesting boxes. I use a kitty litter scoop to sift out any poop every morning, and I use absorbent, dry pine shaving in the nest boxes. Sometimes, though, when it's muddy, or a hen has a poopy butt, there will be some mess on the eggs. A damp paper towel should take care of it. If not, a wash in water just warmer than the egg should do it. (Warmer so that the manure isn't pushed through the shell's pores.) Always refrigerate your clean eggs. It's warm temps that destroy egg quality, so the sooner you can get eggs inside and chilled the better. One day on the counter is the same as four in the fridge! Eggs collected on the day they're laid, and chilled right away can last a good 6 weeks in the refrigerator. I have more about egg safety and how to handle and store eggs on my FAQ. http://hencam.com/faq/handling-and-storing-eggs/