Finally! (And egg questons)

[kraftykrow]

Our first ever egg! Despite being a complete newbie I actually was able to predict our Hennessy was about to lay. She was acting strangely that morning.
Then that afternoon, egg!

Question: we're aren't planing on having more chickens, so I was wanting some advice on storage. Some ppl have told me not refrigerating the eggs helps them stay fresh longer. Is this true? What's the normal shelf life of a REAL egg? I know I could Google all this but everyone had been so helpful here. Any other tips and tricks are help!

Yay! I have an egg!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Question: we're aren't planing on having more chickens, so I was wanting some advice on storage. Some ppl have told me not refrigerating the eggs helps them stay fresh longer. Is this true?

Hi there... I just love barred Rocks!

Let me give you the real down low on egg storage.

Fresh unwashed eggs CAN be stored at room temp. BUT they lose freshness (not the same as rotting) at a rate of 7 times faster than being stored in the fridge. One day on the counter is equal to a week in the fridge. Left longer... as in 3 months at 70 degrees... the evaporation that takes place makes the eggs thick and sticky inside. Those that had little invisible cracks will be rotten by this time and sticky maybe even oozing.

By this (7 times faster thing) I mean the white and yolk become thinner faster. Which makes them pop easier when you drop them in a pan for frying... making for more accidentally scrambled eggs.

So if you are eating the eggs immediately... counter top is fine. If you want fresh eggs longer refrigerate!

Fresh unwashed eggs stored in the fridge can last easily 6+ months and STILL be better than store bought. Store eggs are often 30 days old before shipped to market with a 30 day date, returned to get regraded and sent back to market with another 30 day date, then returned and sent out as industrial use for things like liquid eggs in the carton, school lunches, and other industrial uses like cake mixes and such. Though they do wash store eggs, most companies replace the bloom with a thin coating of mineral oil to help reduce air (gas) exchange through the shell and maintain freshness.

My practice is to put fresh eggs in the fridge immediately. They last longer PERIOD. Pointy end down for the best preservation.

Also note some folks think you can't boil and cleanly peel a fresh egg... wrong. The key to perfectly peeled boiled eggs 99% of the time... regardless if fridge or room temp get water boiling BEFORE you put the eggs in. Salt in the water or anything else is irrelevant and the overall increase in boiling temp due to the addition of salt is between 2-4 degrees. Once you are done boiling COLD water shock... for me my well water is cold enough but some folks may require ice water. So just remember shock them in and shock them out. It works every time. So if it isn't working you may not be getting them cold enough or for long enough. This method changed our boiled egg life!

If an egg gets mucky and I decide to rinse it off with water... we usually use those first or scramble and feed back to the animals if we are egg rich.

Hope this helps.

 

[guineapeeps]

Our first ever egg! Despite being a complete newbie I actually was able to predict our Hennessy was about to lay. She was acting strangely that morning.
Then that afternoon, egg!

Question: we're aren't planing on having more chickens, so I was wanting some advice on storage. Some ppl have told me not refrigerating the eggs helps them stay fresh longer. Is this true? What's the normal shelf life of a REAL egg? I know I could Google all this but everyone had been so helpful here. Any other tips and tricks are help!

Yay! I have an egg!

Congrats on your first egg! Freshly laid eggs that have never been refrigerated or washed will last about a month. If you don’t plan to refrigerate them, just make sure you don’t wash them with water, as it washes off the bloom that protects them from spoiling. If you refrigerate the eggs, they should last several months (some people say up to 6 months, but that seems a little long to me). I would write the date collected on the egg with a pencil so you know exactly when it was layed/collected.
If you are wanting to know if your egg is still good. Place it in a large glass or bowl of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it’s still good. If it floats, it is not good anymore and should be tossed out.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

(some people say up to 6 months, but that seems a little long to me).

I have truly tested this as far out as 8 months!

To me the ONLY thing a float test tells you is how big the air pocket is inside the egg... an indicator of freshness. MAYBE rotten eggs put off more gas and make it float faster.

Pencil dates on eggs are good idea. I used to do it.

 

[guineapeeps]

I have truly tested this as far out as 8 months!

To me the ONLY thing a float test tells you is how big the air pocket is inside the egg... an indicator of freshness. MAYBE rotten eggs put off more gas and make it float faster.

Pencil dates on eggs are good idea. I used to do it.

Good to know about the 8 months. Also, thanks for all the great info on your first post on this thread!

 

[kraftykrow]

Congrats on your first egg! Freshly laid eggs that have never been refrigerated or washed will last about a month. If you don’t plan to refrigerate them, just make sure you don’t wash them with water, as it washes off the bloom that protects them from spoiling. If you refrigerate the eggs, they should last several months (some people say up to 6 months, but that seems a little long to me). I would write the date collected on the egg with a pencil so you know exactly when it was layed/collected.
If you are wanting to know if your egg is still good. Place it in a large glass or bowl of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it’s still good. If it sinks, it is not good anymore and should be tossed out.

Thanks! Confused on your last point. I think you meant if it doesn't sink for one lol

 

[guineapeeps]

Thanks! Confused on your last point. I think you meant if it doesn't sink for one lol

Good catch. I edited it...thanks!

 

[kraftykrow]

Hi there... I just love barred Rocks!

Let me give you the real down low on egg storage.

Fresh unwashed eggs CAN be stored at room temp. BUT they lose freshness (not the same as rotting) at a rate of 7 times faster than being stored in the fridge. One day on the counter is equal to a week in the fridge. Left longer... as in 3 months at 70 degrees... the evaporation that takes place makes the eggs thick and sticky inside. Those that had little invisible cracks will be rotten by this time and sticky maybe even oozing.

By this (7 times faster thing) I mean the white and yolk become thinner faster. Which makes them pop easier when you drop them in a pan for frying... making for more accidentally scrambled eggs.

So if you are eating the eggs immediately... counter top is fine. If you want fresh eggs longer refrigerate!

Fresh unwashed eggs stored in the fridge can last easily 6+ months and STILL be better than store bought. Store eggs are often 30 days old before shipped to market with a 30 day date, returned to get regraded and sent back to market with another 30 day date, then returned and sent out as industrial use for things like liquid eggs in the carton, school lunches, and other industrial uses like cake mixes and such. Though they do wash store eggs, most companies replace the bloom with a thin coating of mineral oil to help reduce air (gas) exchange through the shell and maintain freshness.

My practice is to put fresh eggs in the fridge immediately. They last longer PERIOD. Pointy end down for the best preservation.

Also note some folks think you can't boil and cleanly peel a fresh egg... wrong. The key to perfectly peeled boiled eggs 99% of the time... regardless if fridge or room temp get water boiling BEFORE you put the eggs in. Salt in the water or anything else is irrelevant and the overall increase in boiling temp due to the addition of salt is between 2-4 degrees. Once you are done boiling COLD water shock... for me my well water is cold enough but some folks may require ice water. So just remember shock them in and shock them out. It works every time. So if it isn't working you may not be getting them cold enough or for long enough. This method changed our boiled egg life!

If an egg gets mucky and I decide to rinse it off with water... we usually use those first or scramble and feed back to the animals if we are egg rich.

Hope this helps.

Thanks a bunch! It helps a lot actually. I'll probably end up printing out this post. lol
I'm just glad her first egg looks good and healthy. Now I just need to figure out how to get them to use the nesting boxes instead of the corner of the coop. Might have just been a fluke since it was her very first egg. Probably a surprising experience if with instinct.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Now I just need to figure out how to get them to use the nesting boxes instead of the corner of the coop

Fake eggs work wonders... when the gals think another hen has designated the spot as good.

They even stopped my hen that insist on hiding her eggs if she thinks the nest is being raided daily (from collection making the eggs disappear).

 

[kraftykrow]

Fake eggs work wonders... when the gals think another hen has designated the spot as good.

They even stopped my hen that insist on hiding her eggs if she thinks the nest is being raided daily (from collection making the eggs disappear).

Yes I read that somewhere! My only concern is if they can see them. The boxes are suspended above the coop floor. About... maybe 2'1/2" to 3'. I'm not home to measure it. I know they can get up there fine, but not sure they get what they are for. I've only every seen evidence of one of them being up there once.

I put pine shavings and straw in them vs. just the pine shavings in the coop. Thought that might encourage them. Tried putting a branch up there too to coax them to hop up there the first few times. But I don't think they're getting it. Maybe the problem will fix itself.