Do eggs need to be refrigerated or not?

[lovemychickies]

I keep my eggs in the fridge. My friend keeps hers on the countertop. She told me yesterday that eggs will go bad in the fridge before they will out at room temperature.

How do all you chicken people keep your eggs?

Thanks!

 

[greyhorsewoman]

For me ~~ I keep my eggs unrefrigerated if they are unwashed (They have a natural bloom that helps protect them). If they need washing, they need to go into the refrigerator shortly thereafter. I can keep unwashed/unrefrigerated eggs in my back room for several weeks during most of the year (we don't do a/c, so have to be careful during the hotter months of the year).

 

[lovemychickies]

Thanks for the response! I'll keep my eyes open for one of those old wire egg-baskets! Counter-top it is. They're really good for a few weeks? --I never wash them.

 

[cluckychick]

I have one of those 3-tiered wire baskets that hangs from under my kitchen cabinets. It's meant to hold fruits but mine holds eggs. When the baskets are full I usually clean and stick in the fridge.

 

[Choco Maran]

I have just recently read antricle about how to keep eggs with out refrigeration.

It says that if unwashed they will keep up to three months without refrigation. Just make sure the natrual bloom is left on them. If washed keep in the refrig. They should last for about four to six months in a refrigeration. I have neer had eggs long enough to tell. My oldest is only about three weeks. I normally put my in the refrig. But I would love to try on the counter. Sereveral of my friends leave them on the counter with no problems.

 

[crazyhen]

One day out of the refrigerator is equal to 1 week in the ref. I keep mine refrigerated. Gloria Jean

 

[Tala]

My grandma used to keep them on the counter by the sink, unwashed. She would rinse them off if they were dirty - right before cracking into the pan.

Me, I never have eggs long-enough to matter anyway. Heck I was trying to figure out how to get some that are "old enough" to hard boil. Maybe I should hide them for a week?

 

[Hippie Chick in PA]

I have often wondered about this myself. I leave them on the counter in an egg keep only for a week or two at most. I never new eggs lasted for months in the refrigerator. Thanks for the good information.

 

[Wildsky]

Counter top for us. They are still good after a month, I've not kept them longer than that!

 

[Akane]

They will go bad on the counter before going bad in the fridge but they are good for a long time either way so for most people it will not matter. Unless you have eggs sitting around for months you shouldn't get a bad egg anyway. I don't use any egg that gets very dirty or that I don't know how long it's been sitting in the coop. Most of the time I don't remember how long they've been on the counter in our air conditioned house and some of the ones in the back of the fridge may be more than 4months. I still have yet to crack a bad egg for us to eat. I have cracked a few that were starting to go bad from the questionable bucket, those ones that were too dirty or sat outside an unknown length of time, I keep to feed to the dogs and cats. If I get a very dirty egg I just pitch it out of the coop door and let it break. Occasionally they are actually difficult to break.

My eggs have such strong shells I have to make sure it hits something more than grass or they will bounce and remain intact.