Bad eggs?

[calboy147]

Was going to boil a couple dozen eggs today to utilize the over abundance of eggs already this year. i put the first bakers dozen in a pot and noticed two of them floating about halfway. I think i heard somewhere that floaters were bad eggs. I also remember growing up with lots of chickens and eating lots of just collected eggs and no one ever putting them in water to check quality. So how bad are floaters and how many folks check all their eggs for quality. I am getting six eggs a day and it is just my wife and i.
I eat one or two every day but the wife doesn't eat that many. I have no interest in trying to sell eggs so was giving them away. Now i am a bit concerned about giving them away without some better QC.

 

[hysop]

Half way usually means they’re a little old but not bad. I write the dates on my eggs on the day I collect them and I try to collect them daily especially during the summer.

 

[FluffyFeathers97]

When floating eggs, the ones that sink are fresh and the ones that rise to the very top are rotten/old. If it's somewhere in the middle I would say it's probably best to discard it.

 

[hysop]

For my own peace of mind I only give away fresh eggs that I collected that day. I keep the older eggs.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I collect eggs several times daily.
Any egg found outside of nest boxes I keep for myself.
I wash my eggs daily or 2 if I don't get to it.

When dry, I candle. Any spots inside or cracks in shell I keep for myself.
The best eggs go in one carton and the not perfect eggs go into my carton.

When I fill a carton I date it and use/sell the earliest date first. I rotate in the fridge.

Cartons on top are mine. Cartons on middle shelf are being filled. Cartons on bottom are for customers. GC

 

[chrissynemetz]

The float test doesn't necessarily mean the egg is bad, it just means it's older. I've boiled more than a few 'floaters' and (so far) haven't yet had any be rotten. But if it worries you just toss any old ones out, and mark the dates that you collect the new ones so it's easier to keep track of.

 

[Folly's place]

I collect eggs usually twice daily, wash them, and refrigerate them in order, so I always know what's newest. If I find one that's been missed, or especially if there's a hidden nest, i pitch those eggs to be safe. The float test shows how big the air pocket is in the egg, relating to it's age, but isn't a guarantee of freshness, or spoilage.
If you have a system to age your eggs, there's no doubt how old each egg is.
Mary

 

[Mtnboomer]

Labeling the date works for me. Did the eggs crack in the hot water? I have had hairline fractures show up in the shells of fresh eggs from temp shock which were not complete splits (egg leaking out in the boiling water) when boiling the eggs. They do a suspended float too.

 

[aart]

Another nugget of misinformation, skewed and spread widely.

Floating an egg will only tell you how old it might be.
They float due to evaporation when older.
It will NOT tell you if an egg is 'good' or 'bad'.
Plus then you've wetted the egg so it should be thoroughly washed and refrigerated.

When in doubt....
Open eggs one at a time in a separate dish before adding to pan or recipe,
use your eyes, nose, and common sense to decide if egg is OK to eat.

 

[calboy147]

I collect eggs several times daily.
Any egg found outside of nest boxes I keep for myself.
I wash my eggs daily or 2 if I don't get to it. View attachment 2039665
When dry, I candle. Any spots inside or cracks in shell I keep for myself.
The best eggs go in one carton and the not perfect eggs go into my carton.View attachment 2039648
When I fill a carton I date it and use/sell the earliest date first. I rotate in the fridge. View attachment 2039656
Cartons on top are mine. Cartons on middle shelf are being filled. Cartons on bottom are for customers. GC

I collect twice a day, and go in one of the livestock refrigerators immediately. The few dirty eggs i have found got cleaned and placed in the kitchen refrigerator. Maybe a dozen in the six years.