Dirty Eggs for Sale!?

[BethieofVA]

I keep my nest boxes clean, however, I always hit mine with tap water warmer than the egg and pop into the fridge. It for my husband, not me, I would like them on the counter, but some mindsets are hard to break.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
All that water is doing is removing its natural coating, opening up the pores, and driving stuff into the egg

 

[BethieofVA]

Quote:
All that water is doing is removing its natural coating, opening up the pores, and driving stuff into the egg

My understanding is that water warmer than the eggs, 20 degrees at least, causes less shrinkage so less bacteria through the pores. I don't scrub, submerge or douse, but a quick pass through for the water to flow over and knock off any shavings, feathers or other crap stuck to the egg. It works for us. There are so many school of thought on egg washing.

 

[prov31gal]

im just having a hard time believing there are some people who almost never get poop on their eggs.
we get poopy eggs, not all the eggs and not totally covered,but we do get poopy eggs,
we have some chooks who poop in the nests, and honestly i dont know how to stop them.
i wash it off under the tap and it goes in the fridge, and really, since we do have modern refridgeration and the eggs are eaten relatively quickly, whats the big deal. the bloom is for fertile eggs anyway, and we dont wash those.
im not too busy to own chickens but i am too busy to go out every hour to clean out all the poop kitty litter style! theres going to be poop.

 

[BethieofVA]

Quote:
As the old saying goes SH*T Happens.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
Use wood shavings...that oughta keep 'em busy for awhile!

I don't wash my eggs nor put them in the fridge unless I have a big back log of eggs and they've been there for over a week or so. I do wipe smudges gently with a warm, damp rag. If they are too encrusted for some weird reason, the dogs get a high protein snack.

Keeping nesting materials clean is key and keeping some clean bedding underfoot before they enter nesting boxes can help clean off wet and muddy chicken feet.

 

[plecostrum]

my sisters hens have 3 nest boxes one they poop in and the rest they lay eggs

we have tried covering it so they only use it in the mornings but nope they still poop in one lay in the rest.

she has a large area for her hens and as she has ducks too they make it quite muddy and messy so the hen eggs do get dirty

same here when she gives them me if i think they are dirty i will clean them as i use them if im boiling wipe them over etc or crack and drop i just think that most germs should be killed on cooking.

shop eggs are always so clean is this because they are washed ? or is it that they lay and roll away??

 

[Beekissed]

Both...and they are cleaned with a commercial solution and a protein coating is coated back onto the egg afterwards.

 

[BethieofVA]

http://crippledcollie.com/wordpress/?p=2173

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I sell eggs and I wash everything that comes into the house. I first pour hot soapy water over them then rinse/scrub them clean under running water that is at least twenty degrees warmer than the eggs. This causes the internal contents to expand and keep anything from working its way in through the shell pores and membrane. They go into a drainer basket and hand dried before putting them into cartons which go straight into the fridge. This bloom thing is way over rated unless you keep eggs on the counter for a week or more. I don't sell eggs over a week old anyway.

Only the best get sold, we eat the rest.