Eggs smell like ammonia

[DandyDear711]

I don't if this is the correct forum to ask my questions. Perhaps someone can help me anyway...

I stopped at an old farm today to purchase a couple dozen eggs - never purchased from them before. I suspect Grandma was supplementing her retirement income.

I got home and took a look at the eggs - just collected today - and noticed a strong ammonia smell. (I noticed it in the farm house too but thought a dog might have had an accident). One of the eggs was wet. And my fingers smelled from touching them.

Are the eggs safe to eat?

Should I wash them? If yes, how? (Don't eggs have a natural protective coating that keeps them fresh for quite awhile?)

Should I avoid going back to this farm? I think Grandma may be in over her head with way too many eggs to get rid of from 100 chickens. Perhaps she can't keep up with the coop cleaning. She said the local food co-op isn't buying many of her eggs anymore.

Many thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[Den in Penn]

Sounds like she cleaned them with ammonia, not recommended. Depending on how they were washed there may or may not have had ammonia pulled into the egg. Best I can say is crack one open and smell. I don't know if ammonia has an effect on eggs left sitting for a while.

 

[DandyDear711]

Thank you. I called the farm and talked with "Grandma"'s son. He said they don't clean with ammonia. And the wetness was probably because she just wiped them.

They smell fine now. I am just wondering if 91 YO Grandma had a senior moment (and not me, at 53). lol

They do sell a majority of their eggs to the big food co-op in Boise so they must have a good track record.

I am gonna eat them and assume they are fine. (Had one for breakfast with no ill effects and it had all the signs of being a very fresh egg.)

Thanks for your reply!