Eggs left out in the high heat

[ruthimom]

My family and I just discovered 7 eggs that were laid under a bush. We aren't sure how many days they have been there and our daytime temps have been over 100 degrees. We did the float test and they all sunk to the bottom. Should we take the risk of eating them?

 

[kidcody]

I wouldn't, since you know they were left in the heat.

 

[TheWaddler]

I'm not going to say yea or nay but I will say that me and my family have eaten eggs that were out in the heat for a number of days. It was a clutch of 18 eggs and I had 8 chickens at the time. This was during 100+ heat days so there was decreased laying from the birds. By our rough guesstimation they were out there anywhere from 3-6 days. Floated them and cracked one to check for smell and whatnot and everything was fine. We ate them all with no sickness or foul taste.

The way I see it is eggs are designed to take the heat. I am no eggspert but under normal circumstances a chicken that hasn't been selectively bred lays an egg every other day to every third. They won't sit on them until they have a clutch of some sort for most part I think....of what size I'm not sure but read about clutches from 5-14ish eggs. So it takes her anywhere from 8+ days to acquire said clutch of eggs, in the mean time the other eggs already laid have to survive in the heat until she gets to them and begins to incubate them. They have to survive some time in warm weather and as long as we don't take to much risk "I" believe that eggs can be safe after several days in warm weather in the shade somewhere. Mine were between an ice chest and a tarp, we were moving and their coop was in disarray.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
In poultry science a "clutch" of eggs is a series of eggs laid on consecutive days ending with the hen taking a break from laying. Slower laying breeds lay smaller clutches. With many breaks throughout the year egg production is markedly lower. High performance breeds lay many eggs per clutch. With fewer breaks throughout the year overall production is high.

 

[ruthimom]

Thanks so much for the quick replies! Since this is my first post, it was almost as exciting as my first egg!

Appreciate all your help!