DO YOU WASH & REFRIGERATE YOUR EGGS?-

[Henry&Friends]

If they’re poopy, the nest is poopy, or I haven’t collected for a number of days, i give them a quick wash. Otherwise, I put them in cartons and go about my day.

 

[FireGal]

My mama had a huge basket sitting on the counter where she kept her eggs. I never witnessed anyone refrigerate eggs until I was a teenager.
My mom also kept butter in a covered dish on the table, never refrigerated any fresh fruits or vegetables, kept bread in a pan on the table covered with a dish towel, and had a metal container of bacon grease that sat on the stove top....
Very old school

Umm, I don’t know how to tell you this, but we apparently have the same Mama

 

[BullChick]

 

[chrissynemetz]

 

[ValerieJ]

Oh man...I do like my spices...but that video

I both wash and refrigerate my eggs. For the most part I use a warm wet paper towel, but if an egg is really soiled, I will immerse it for a few minutes in warm water with egg wash in it. I have an older hen who lays an egg about once a week with a very thin shell that invariably breaks. Then that mess is on the other eggs in the nest, so washing is a must. I haven't seen an egg from her for a couple weeks, so I'm hoping she is done with that business altogether.

That being said, when Lucy isn't laying an egg, most of mine can just go straight into the carton and into the refrigerator. So, when I give them to my friends, I always warn them they may not be washed. I hope they know that means they need to wash their hands after breaking one open before buttering their toast.

Loved the video after the gross part. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Eggscaping]

I came across this interesting video upon researching a statement made previously by a potential egg customer here and at my self service egg stand.
I keep a big metal bell on my egg stand for customers to let me know if they need change or if I have sold out. Yesterday the bell sounded and I walked over to the roadside stand to find some very nice peeps visiting from abroad. They inquired if my eggs were washed. They were obviously refrigerated, since there is a mini fridge in the stand.. (were in Florida-not safe to leave eggs out in a 105*F heat index).
Anyway, the kind folks explained to me how over in the UK, the eggs are NOT washed (commercially) and the taste of the eggs are much much richer.
I explained that my eggs are wiped clean if in fact are with the appearance filth. NEVER submerged in bath water because of the fact that egg shells are porous.
Needless to say, I made the sell and they drove off with 3 eighteen packs of goodness, despite the refrigeration their Country prohibits.. lol- the vacationing folks were melting in our Florida heat while conversation with me.
So, this is what I found on the yewy-tube with my search inquiry, that I've embedded just below. Bare thru the first couple minutes with the slightly off topic fact bombardment of grossness allowed by our FDA. It's a very informative video all the way to the end.

Tell us your safe handling practices in your local area or personal preferences if you care to.
If not, thanks for taking the time to read this little inquiry.
Thank you and have a wonderful blessed day!
-FC

So then....CAN you vaccinate your chickens against Salmonella?

 

[analyticalblonde]

I sell the clean ones, the dog gets the dirtiest ones, we use the slightly dirty ones and I wash them before using. I had one EE and I only found out about a year later that one customer threw out her pretty green egg when they got one in the carton “because the green ones have gone bad”. Thanks dr Seuss!

 

[analyticalblonde]

I only wash when I'm about to use my girls' eggs. When I wash, I use warm water - not hot or cold - as I have read that extreme temperatures draw in the bacteria on the shell into the egg itself due to porosity. If I get a dirty one, I use 320 grit (super-fine) sandpaper that dear hubby gave me from his workshop to gently buff off the debris spot only. They sit on my counter until I get enough to fill an egg carton. I store both inventory and cartons on the counter. When the supply becomes too much, as I think I'm going to experience with 10 girls soon, I have been looking into preserving the bulk over the winter in a chef's quality calcium hydroxide solution as this has been done for centuries. I'm

going to do a test preservation this winter and look at the results in spring. This method has been touted as a great way to have eggs over the winter when production slows/halts and has been noted the eggs can last over a year to two years (although, I won't run a stability testing that long out!). Cracked eggs get thrown away.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

So then....CAN you vaccinate your chickens against Salmonella?

I personally will not. Even when I have to treat a sick hen, she will be tagged and not living in the egg house with the breakfast birds. I know withdraw will eventually happen, but I sell eggs. I don't take chances.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Do you handle fertilized eggs differently? I have been putting them in fridge unclean to stop the fertilization process but that was just a guess.

Your one ahead on the game you are correct