Eggs safe shelf life ??

[zark]

How long can I safely keep chicken eggs. There are times I get more than I need, and other times not enough. I don’t want to take chances.

 

[silkiechicken]

I give them two months or so in the fridge, and two weeks or so on the counter.

 

[WriterofWords]

Quote:
Two weeks on the counter? Do you know how many eggs I've tossed because they were left out over night before being put in the fridge???
How many days can they be in the nest and still be used if they are not fertile?
Kate

 

[s6bee]

If you're throwing away eggs, consider selling them! Put an ad on craigslist or something. Spread the word girl!

 

[WriterofWords]

Quote:
LOL I was throwing them away because after being left out I thought they bad! Now I know better. But I was wondering how you can tell if they are fertile or not to incubate them?
K

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Oh my Kate..I always leave my eggs out on the counter a few days...it helps to age them when I want to hardboil some and they peel easier!!...Always keep my eggs in the frig. for two months if they last that long around here...lol...

Consider feeding them back to your chickens if you feel over run with eggs its good protein for them...scrambed!!...shells and all

Can't tell if they are fertile unless you crack some and look for the sperm disk in the bullseye...no difference in taste of a fertile egg or unfertile...

 

[WriterofWords]

I guess I've fallen prey to those old wives tales about leaving them out over night or letting them get warm and going bad. I'm not feeling real bright right now,, I feel like I should go apologize to my ducks!
Kate

 

[Yonaton]

I've had some for 3 weeks on the counter and when I got to them they were just as good as the ones I collected the other day. Tasted just as good, looked the same when cracked into the frying pan. I don't wash the eggs because they're usually quite clean. If one has poop on it, I use a dry paper towel and rub it off. I'm going to test for 4 weeks someday, then 5 weeks, etc...

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Don't feel badly.. being a child of 'all germs are bad' culture, I also thought overnight meant a quick trip to the trash.. I think we forget sometimes that people have been eating eggs for centuries.. and we've had fridges for what? all of 100 years (including 'ice boxes')? Ok.. sketchy on those details.. but they had chickens in ancient egypt.. where'd THEY keep them to stay at 37 degrees?

LOL! Not anymore though. Besides, sometimes I DO spot wash, and they have to be completely dry before they go into a carton. So far so good.. never gotten sick.

There are some other methods though.. there is something called Water Glass that will keep them for a year. You can also crack into ice trays and freeze, etc etc.

Meghan

 

[silkiechicken]

Eggs can sit. As for how long after it has been in the nest, if being sat on by a broody, tops 2 days IF you have something against eating devloping embryos... shoot.. look up balut, and that's eatable. Eggs if not dirtied or cracked, are essentially sterile inside. Contamination generally occurs when they are washed in water cooler than the egg and forces bacteria though the shell as the bloom is being washed off. In healthy birds, no bacteria should be found in the egg.

I have eggs in my room that have been here for at least 5 years if not longer. They just dry out. I have no plans on eating them though.

Now, if you crack and egg and you have to open all the doors and windows of the house, don't eat it. But if it looks fine, go right ahead.