Egg collecting/handling

[Angiebubs]

So Im "Counting my eggs before their laid" but curious....
I am new to this and am excited about the eggs I will be collecting in a few months. (Already have several coworkers/neighbors asking for eggs LOL)
There are so many opionions on this and had a co worker tell me how sick you can get from fresh eggs-samonella etc (yeah right) but now Im curious...
-Do you wash your eggs?
-How often and what time of day do you collect them?
-If selling eggs, do you wash them?
-Anything I should worry about when collecting to make me toss one rather than use it?

Thank you

 

[soccerbabiesmama]

I don't wash my eggs when I collect them because they are covered in a protective bloom and washing removes that. We keep our nesting box full of fluffy shavings and eggs are usually very clean. I do wash my hands before and after I collect and collect a few times a day - but mostly that is because I'm always anxious to see how many that I get in a day.

We don't sell our eggs, but we do share with friends and advise them to rinse before they use as well. Many people don't rinse their eggs though. I think much of it is personal preference.

We've only gotten one dirty egg ever, and we fed it to the pooch

Best of luck!!!

 

[LT]

We do not wash our eggs. We use pine shavings in our nest boxes and the eggs rarely even have any shavings stuck to them. Right before we crack them, we rub them with a dry towel.

 

[FireTigeris]

I collect a dusk, unless I'm out there anyway.

I do not wash eggs, I will remove any extra yucky thing on them before selling.

I give eggs that have been broken for one reason or another (amours rooster on a hen, fight for nest box) to my dog.

I use an EGG-BASKET so as not to become a member of the 'pocket egg club'

 

[AlienChick]

I, too, do not wash my eggs. My hens lay on pine shavings mixed with grass clippings, and the eggs are very clean when I collect them.
I might have to pull off a stuck feather from an egg. I keep my eggs on the kitchen counter.

I usually collect eggs about 4x's throughout the day because I enjoy the surprise of finding the eggs in the nest boxes.
I have 23 hens, and they tend to lay from morning up into the late afternoon.

If I were selling eggs, I would wipe them off and refrigerate the eggs.

If I happen to find an egg in the bushes, I do not eat it; I give it to the dogs.

And do not put eggs in your pocket. Carry a basket.

I put eggs in my pocket and have not had "the accident" yet . . . but it's just an accident waiting to happen. lol

 

[slurrywidow]

I'm with the consensus above.

I (most of the time) don't wash eggs either. Nor do I refrigerate. My girls in one coop always lay in the shavings filled nest boxes so they are clean. My other coop however, sometimes one lays in the corner on the floor so the others follow suit. Once in a while one of those will be dirty. The dirtys I wash and then refrigerate.

We collect multiple times a day. The kids still really enjoy it.

I sell unwashed eggs and let the buyers know they are unwashed and unrefrigerated. I give them a mini lesson as to why and then leave them to make their own choice at home.

The only time I don't personally eat an egg would be if it were cracked, REALLY covered in goo, or if I had found a hidden egg. For the cracked/goo eggs I usually cook and then feed back to the animals. Hidden eggs get tossed.

Enjoy your chickens and savor your eggs. It's such a fun hobby and yummy too!

 

[Beekissed]

I don't wash my eggs either, nor refridgerate....even the eggs being sold. I do wipe with a damp cloth if they have smudges. Really poopy or excessively damaged eggs get thrown to the dogs and chickens to be recycled. I collect in the evenings only. I use hay in my nests and make sure it is clean each time I collect eggs...if not, I replace it.

If an egg is merely cracked I use it for my own consumption and I use it soonest.

 

[Imp]

-Do you wash your eggs?
-How often and what time of day do you collect them?
-If selling eggs, do you wash them?
-Anything I should worry about when collecting to make me toss one rather than use it?

OK, someone has to be different

I wash every egg in hot water,
I collect after work every day, usually in the evening,
I do not sell, if I have extra I give away,
I refrigerate,
I will not eat a cracked egg or soft shelled egg.

If you do not wash and refrigerate, be aware of cross contamination issues in your home; and that animals can catch food borne illnesses as well as people. It's not common, but possible.

Imp​

 

[Nonny]

-Do you wash your eggs?
Only the really dirty ones, and I wash them and use them (well cooked, not soft yolk) with a couple of hours of collecting them. I've only ever had three that were really dirty. Sometimes I see a small smear, and then I just give it a quick wipe with a damp paper towel.

-How often and what time of day do you collect them?
Every morning at around 9am. Usually there are three in the box by then (we only have three chooks). If there are less than three I check again mid-afternoon. They all go in a basket on the kitchen bench are are used within 3-4 days at most.

-If selling eggs, do you wash them?
I only sell our excess, so half a dozen per week usually. I don't wash them but I only sell the cleanest nicest looking ones.

-Anything I should worry about when collecting to make me toss one rather than use it?
I have seen one egg that was slightly cracked, membrane still intact. I still ate it but as per the dirty ones it got a good wash and was cooked well the same day. The only other advice I can add is that 2yr olds are as bad as pockets for not being a safe transportation device.... even when carrying an egg basket. I now only let the kids bring in the eggs if I have enough eggs already so I don't have to worry if they get dropped on the way inside.

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Hey Angie--

you will be really happy when you start getting those daily eggs---as for me I still think it is amazing what those hens do.

wash-No egg washing, the 'bloom' is a better protector than just about anything else. Somewhere I read if you wash them you are supposed to oil them. (veg oil or mineral oil) Like the others, I always have clean shavings in the nest box first thing in the AM when I check the chickens so no poo on eggs. If any were to get on, I would wash that egg, and probably cook and feed to dogs and/or chickens, sometimes the cat gets a little tablespoon of scrambled eggs.

collect-I know one of mine will lay first thing in the AM, and once all mine have laid their egg---I don't check after that--so by about 10-11 AM I usually have gotten them all

sell-No selling, only some given away. I don't wash them before giving them away. We refrigerate them all.

other concerns-IF you had doubts about an egg--you could put it in water---if it floats it is old and probably bad. Always, of course wash hands (and get you youngsters in the habit if you have them) after dealing with chickens. When I feed my shells back to chickens I nuke them in the microwave for about a minute and a half, before I crush and feed to my chickens (this is a big controversial subject to some, I don't know why---I say to each his/her own choice). In food prep, I always treat any surfaces and utensils that have touched raw chicken or raw eggs, as if they have samonella bacteria on them. Have always done this eversince I have cooked. This includes store bought eggs and store chicken (we don't/haven't slaughtered our own) Just a sanitation thing. There are I think two major diseases that humans can get from poultry, one is samonella and one is bird flu--- both rare and unlikely.