Dirty eggs, clean nest...???

[briteday]

I'm fairly new to the chicken thing so please be patient with me ;-)

Our climate is really dry here and I don't normally have this problem. But we are going through our "wet" season and the girls' feet get really muddy and poopy all the time. GAK!

The problem is leading to dirty eggs. The nests are clean. But I think as the girls stomp out their little spot in the nest, and touch any other eggs in there, the eggs are getting dirty.

Since I sell my eggs I like them to be really clean, and I prefer not to wash them. I would rather prevent the issue. The nest box is on the far wall of the coop so they have to walk across all of the nice clean, dry bedding (roosting areas are cleaned first thing in the mornings). Any ideas???

 

[unionwirewoman]

Some of ours are too , I don't wash them though . I tell whoever is buying that they will be dirty and if I wash them they won't stay as long . If they want me to wash them I will , but most don't mind . I think if you just let the people know , then they can decide .

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

Yes, we have the same issue - recent snow melt has turned everything into a quagmire. If the eggs have more than a little poop/dirt on them I rub it off with steel wool or sandpaper. Makes them a little more presentable. Even if people know about it, I think it would be a little off-putting for people who don't have chickens themselves.

 

[digginchicks]

So you arent really supposed to was your eggs? I got some eggs a few minutes ago that were some of the cleanest eggs I have gotten but I ran them under water just because I thought I was supposed to.

So I shouldnt do that next time?

 

[dftkarin]

Quote:
I don't understand? Why would you run clean eggs under water?

 

[LynneP]

I've noticed that every time I renew the sand and food-grade DE in my hen's sand box (indoors) their feet are pristine, whether it's been wet outside or not- they seem drawn to it, just inside the door and use it many times a day. The feet look scrubbed-clean! Might work for you too!

 

[unionwirewoman]

Quote:
Don't wash them until you are ready to use them .

 

[Hoot]

I have heard it removes some protective coating off the shell, and the egg wont last as long.

Not sure if its true or not.

I'm no Eggspert.

 

[Nemo]

I usually wash any poopy eggs.

I was reading somewhere on the US-FDA website that commercial egg farmers have 30 days to get an egg to the store. (It's usually about a week, but they have up to 30 days.) The store then has 30 days to sell it. And, you can keep it in your fridge for another 30 days. I've never seen an unwashed, store-bought egg, so I think my four-day-old eggs are fine if they were washed.