First egg now what???

[Cheryl925]

Had my first egg today. What next. Can we eat right away? It has some poo on it. Have to raise up nesting boxes. What can I wash with and is it safe to eat? How long can it stay in fridge? Any info would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[txmel]

we ate our first egg the day it was layed. i would definitely wash the poo off first though

it took ours close to 4 days for her to lay again.

 

[ekemily]

Just rinse it off and either eat it or put it in the fridge. I eat mine up until a couple of weeks. If I have any older, I will scramble them up for the chickens or the dogs.

 

[chicknduck]

I have been told to rinse with vinager. But my first one was layed right at me feet today and one other chicken pecked and broke it so I am new to this.

 

[zDoc]

Just curious...How old is your hen?

 

[PunkinPeep]

If they have something nasty on them that you want to wash off, it's best to do it with very warm water. Water colder than the egg can cause the egg to absorb the bacteria on the outside.

If there's not something on it, it is best not to wash it. When the hen lays the egg, she gives it a protective "bloom," a film that protects the inside of the egg from contamination. I do not wash any of my eggs, even if they're dirty, until i'm ready to crack them. Then i wash under very warm water, like i said, just so that i don't accidentally crack the grossness into my actual edible egg.

Here is a great article about a study done on the storage of fresh eggs. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1977-11-01/Fresh-Eggs.aspx

In short, the egg-sperimenters found that the best way to store eggs is unwashed in the refrigerator. And they will last months! I believe it was 6-8 months. I would never toss a 2 week-old egg. The eggs you buy in the store are usually at least a month old before you buy them.

Your egg is definitely safe to eat, unless you have recently medicated your hens with something that humans should not ingest.

Also, fresh eggs are good for a week or more, stored right on your counter at room temperature. And i believe that many cooks/chefs will recommend using room temperature eggs for better baking. Eggs are not nearly as fragile as some of us have been led to believe. Just think about Caroline Ingalls carrying her basket of eggs to town in a basket in the heat. Not once refrigerated....guaranteed.

 

[Cheryl925]

My ladies were born March 1 and we were away when they layed. Missed chicken song. Pretty sure it was my RIR twins.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Don't worry, you'll have LOTS of opportunity to hear it.

Congrats on the egg. Wash it in warm water and enjoy. If mine have some poop on them and I want to store the egg, I just wipe the area with a damp paper towel then stick in the fridge.

 

[rainierlass]

I got my first egg on Saturday! Congrats to you on yours!

My 21 week old SLW hen has laid for 3 consecutive days now~~~~

My Quiche LaRoo stays in the coop with her and HE sings the 'egg song'!

Crazy! (He also broke the first egg as I was running to the house for the camera

)

 

[Dora'smom]

I use water just a little warmer than the egg, and rinse them off just prior to using. If I am cleaning a little poo off before refrigerating, I use slightly warm water on a paper towel to do the cleaning, though there are people who suggest using a very fine grit of sandpaper to gently buff the poo away.