Are these eggs still good?

[mhowardvt]

Left unwashed, how long will eggs last at room temperature? I have quite a few that I haven't eaten yet. They have been unwashed and I have heard that they can last 6 weeks or so.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

As long as temperatures don't get too warm or cold I would go 3-4 weeks. They probably can last longer but quality starts to degrade as moisture evaporates out of the eggs. If you wish to keep them longer than cracking them open and freezing them is an option.

 

[chickens really]

Yikes, I refrigerate all eggs upon collecting..I don't wash either and use within a month..

 

[TelfTheElf]

I sell mine within abt 2 days of collecting so i don't know. Do the float test and see if they float or not, this could work.

 

[MountainWoman73]

I don't have any actual information for you, but I do up to 2 weeks unrefrigerated, and up to a month in the fridge. I don't wash any of the ones I sell or give away, but if they have giant globs of poop on them I will wash and put them into a "use first" pile. Older eggs are best for peeling, so if they've been in the fridge too long, I make potato salad or deviled eggs.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The float test merely shows how much air is inside an egg. The older an egg the more moisture moves out and air moves in. Floating eggs in water can push water and bacteria into the pores. I personally would never float an egg.

 

[dehowery]

Left unwashed, how long will eggs last at room temperature? I have quite a few that I haven't eaten yet. They have been unwashed and I have heard that they can last 6 weeks or so.

If you DO NOT wash them they are probably good for at least 2 months on the counter top (Europeans never refrigerate their eggs they are always on the counter tops). The temp has to be moderate no real highs/ lows. If you want to keep eggs up to a year place them in hydrated lime water (see youtube for recipes). We kept ours in HLW for about 6 months before using them ( do not wash them prior to placing in water). The only drawback is the yolks break easily and do not stand up as high in the frying pan. The taste is great and we never had any problems from eating them. As a matter of fact my husband is a diabetic and after he started consuming about a dozen of eggs a week his cholesterol dropped drastically! Remember DO NOT WASH until you are ready to eat. Eggs have a natural coating on their shells , when you clean them you disrupt this coating and allow whatever in.

 

[Perris]

if you want to eat them, the float test just prior to cooking will be fine. If it sinks, it's good. If it floats, it has a relatively large air sac, but may still be good - crack it open separately and trust your senses of sight and smell to decide if it's gone off.

 

[MNchickaroo]

Grab this book at your library..."Locally Laid" by Lucie Admundson. Her family took a giant leap and started a pasture raised chicken egg business in Northern MN. They hit the learning curve hard and quick, and she has some really fascinating information about eggs, chickens, small business and does it in a really humorous and fun way. Because of USDA standards, they actually had to get an egg washing machine! She talks about how salmonella cases actually increased when they started implementing washing policies for eggs, and discusses egg washing (similar to what some others are saying here).

Personally, unless the egg is covered in poop (which isn't often because we try to keep her box clean), I don't wash the egg. We've had eggs over a month old, and haven't ever had problems.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A Mother Earth News study showed the best way to preserve eggs was unwashed, refrigerator in a sealed container. Most were still good 8 months later.
If I get dirty eggs, I'll wash them and put them in the refrigerator.
But there is no need to refrigerate unwashed eggs. The reason store eggs in the US are refrigerated is that the USDA requires producers to wash eggs upon collection. That requirement went into effect in the mid 1900s due to a salmonella scare.
Store eggs aren't refrigerated in most other countries because they don't require washing. USA eggs would be illegal to sell in many countries and their eggs would be illegal here.
Throughout the Caribbean and Central America, eggs are on the store shelves with the bread. And that is in hot stores with no air conditioning.