Egg cleaning and storage

[B40chick]

I am starting to get eggs. How do you clean and store them?

 

[hysop]

Some people don’t clean them at all because it will remove the bloom that keeps them fresh and bacteria out.

If yours has some poo, I would get a lightly damp towel and wipe that one spot off and place in the refrigerator.

Some keep their fresh eggs on the counter and they stay fresh for 2ish weeks, but can remain in the counter for a month I think. I’ve had bad experiences with leaving them in my counter because I keep my house “warm” around 74 degrees (sometimes higher) so I place all of mine in the refrigerator after 3-7 days.

They store in the refrigerator well for 3 months

Are you thinking of selling or just for your own personal use?

 

[Percheron chick]

I'm a non washer as I stockpile eggs to get me through the winter months. Poopy eggs get washed then are used immediately mostly for baking. If they are super dirty, I just smash them on the ground and let the chickens ear them.

 

[pintail_drake2004]

I do not wash my eggs, I take a moist paper towel and wipe the dirty area off if need be (these are the eggs me and my wife use first) The other eggs sit on the counter until they are sold. I keep my house at ~65* so they keep for a month easy on the counter. I rotate older eggs out first. I filled an order this past weekend for 30dz eggs, The oldest were only 15 days old.

 

[Whigru]

I don’t wash mine until use but usually place in the fridge after collecting. I only wipe them off when they are super dirty but that doesn’t happen often, and if I do, I use those within a few days. In the past, I’ve kept them out on the counter for two or so weeks with no issues but started refrigerating them because of a kitty that is prone to knocking things off the counter.

 

[hysop]

I don’t wash mine until use but usually place in the fridge after collecting. I only wipe them off when they are super dirty but that doesn’t happen often, and if I do, I use those within a few days. In the past, I’ve kept them out on the counter for two or so weeks with no issues but started refrigerating them because of a kitty that is prone to knocking things off the counter.

The laugh reaction is for your kitty knocking things over I can already see it.

 

[Whigru]

The laugh reaction is for your kitty knocking things over I can already see it.

Yes, she enjoys finding things to knock off the counter even when there’s no reason to do it.

 

[B40chick]

I am not selling. These are for my own use and to give to family. The first egg had a little blood, but all the rest are clean. I have been washing them and putting them in the fridge. I have been using them within a few days. I only have one laying right now.

 

[hysop]

I am not selling. These are for my own use and to give to family. The first egg had a little blood, but all the rest are clean. I have been washing them and putting them in the fridge. I have been using them within a few days. I only have one laying right now.

There’s nothing wrong with washing them if you use em up fast. Not washing them is best if you plan on storing in the fridge for like 3 months or the old school cellar way for 6-9 months. ( I don’t have a cellar and I’ve never attempted to store them that long, but I hear it’s possible )

 

[rosemarythyme]

I just put them in the fridge as-is. Any eggs that are noticeably soiled (but not over the top dirty) go to front of the line and get eaten first. I only wash eggs that are getting boiled (grosses me out to think of them rolling around in dirty water), so those get a rinse and scrub under lukewarm water immediately before boiling.