A few answers to a new chicken owner.

[bartonlynch]

I got 10 chickens and am free ranging in my back yard. Had some issues with them going to the neighbors', but solved it

Anyway, I have 4 nest boxes, but they all lay in the far left box! I get about 6 eggs a day (as the hens are calming down and getting settled) but usually I find a broken one because they're all on the one nest. Any ideas on what I can do?
Also, my eggs are very diverse and pretty (my flock of 10 hens has no hens of the same breed) and I would like to have them out on the counter. Is there anything I need to do or not to to be able to not refrigerate them? How long will they last?
Thanks for the help!

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

It's not unusual for the chickens to all use the same box - it seems that as soon as there's one egg in a box, then everyone wants to lay there. Maybe putting false eggs in a couple of boxes would help?

We also found that by raising the lip on the lower edge of the next boxes so they had to step over and in - rather than walk right in, it helped lower the incidence of broken eggs.

 

[Hippie Chicks Mom]

Welcome to chicken ownership! It is so much fun. All 5 of my girls lay in one nest unless there are 2 trying to lay at the same time. Then I will find an egg on the coop floor. I use hay, so they will make a nest anywhere in the coop if they HAVE to. Otherwise they like the same nest. Eggs can stay unrefridge. for weeks and stay fresh. Enjoy your chicks!

 

[bartonlynch]

So it's ok to wash the eggs then set them on the counter for as long as I need to?

 

[chickengrl]

Yes, in Europe they don't refrigerate them at all. We do since they are already several weeks old when they hit the stores. I only wash really poopy ones. Washing removes the bloom which is what keeps them fresh longer. I just try to use washed ones earlier.

 

[Kitt]

Quote:
I showed my fil the pic of the difference between a store egg and a fresh egg then showed him your post about how old store eggs are....he said he isn't eating store bought eggs ever again ! lol

 

[Niss]

Quote:
Ohhhh, thank you. I've only had grown hens since Satuday, but I was wondering at what point I should stop using eggs found randomly on the ground.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Not really--if you give them a thorough washing it removes the bactericide "bloom" the hen has deposited on the shell. At that point it is a good idea to refrigerate them. On the other hand unwashed eggs can stay on the counter until you need them so when you're ready then you can wash them. I usually sort through and box up the cleaner eggs and leave them for later use, the really dirty ones are washed and stored in the refrigerator for immediate use.

 

[bartonlynch]

Quote:
Not really--if you give them a thorough washing it removes the bactericide "bloom" the hen has deposited on the shell. At that point it is a good idea to refrigerate them. On the other hand unwashed eggs can stay on the counter until you need them so when you're ready then you can wash them. I usually sort through and box up the cleaner eggs and leave them for later use, the really dirty ones are washed and stored in the refrigerator for immediate use.

....don't they wash them before they're sold in europe etc?

 

[chickengrl]

Quote:
Not really--if you give them a thorough washing it removes the bactericide "bloom" the hen has deposited on the shell. At that point it is a good idea to refrigerate them. On the other hand unwashed eggs can stay on the counter until you need them so when you're ready then you can wash them. I usually sort through and box up the cleaner eggs and leave them for later use, the really dirty ones are washed and stored in the refrigerator for immediate use.

....don't they wash them before they're sold in europe etc?

Not sure if they wash them, can't recall seeing really poopy ones. I don't generally leave mine out for more than a week or so. Like woodmort suggested, I also put washed ones in the fridge sooner. They are used first as well. Bottom line, we are way more strict here because of government guidelines and we are all just used to seeing eggs only in the refrigerator. Hope that helps.