First egg. Woo hoo!

[outdoor junkie]

Found my first egg yesterday evening while filling up the water, was pretty excited. It sat in there for most of the day I think so I didn't bother saving it. Cracked it open and it was a double yolker.

Then found another today when I got home from work. How soon do they need to be collected and refrigerated, if they sit i nthe coop most of the day are they still good? Pretty exciting stuff.

 

[colebarnhart]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cadjien_De_Louisiane]

Could tell you exactley how long I know a couple of days for sure, If you leave it in the nest for a couple days though you might get a suprise when you crack it open, like veins. I collect mine everyday and sometimes I leave mine on the kitchen counter for a couple day before I refrigerate them or eat them. With my house being so cold they dont develope anythink inside enless you put them back out in the nest or bator.. In a quote attributed to Alton Brown, he states that unrefrigerated eggs age roughly a week’s worth of refrigerated time in a day (depending on temperature, of course). Given that eggs typically last 6 – 8 weeks in a refrigerator, that gives you about a week to eat a fresh egg. A good check for egg freshness is to see if it floats – if it does, the inner air pocket has expanded and the egg should probably be discarded.

 

[Jeffross1968]

Woot! Congrats!

As for the eggs...I'm home most days so I'm always checking for them and collecting them. However, on the days I'm not, they sit outside all day, sometimes into the evening and they are fine. Also, in the 3 months we've owned chickens, we've never refrigerated an egg. They are just fine sitting in a basket or something on your counter, out of the sun. Don't wash them prior to getting ready to use them, though maybe a dry spot clean is ok if there is some kind of funk on it.

But read up here on the forums about the best way to keep eggs. If you are going to eat them within a couple weeks, feel comfortable not putting them in the fridge...

 

[rungirl]

Yeah, they can sit out a long time and be OK to eat. Many of us don't even refrigerate our eggs. I keep mine on the kitchen counter. Congratulations on your egg!

 

[outdoor junkie]

Wow, I did not know you could store them unrefrigerated. And also you dont rinse them off before storing them? Also wil lthey develop veins and what not even though I don't have a rooster to fertelize the girls? Now if the other three would start laying I would be doing great, and maybe if she would use the nesting box.

 

[Cadjien_De_Louisiane]

Quote:
No sorry I ment with a rooster. lol
I think when an egg is layed it is coated with a pertective layer that you cant see and it helps protect from bacteria entering through the egg shell. Thats they say not to wash them.

 

[outdoor junkie]

Thank you all for the information. This site has helped me tremendously.

 

[dbounds10]

That is correct, they are layed with what is call "Bloom" it is a protective coating that keeps bacteria from getting inside. If you wash it, you MUST refridgerate.

 

[Farmer_Dan]

Yep, fine to eat, no refrigeration necessary on eggs. They will last a couple months without refrigeration, but if you wash them, put them in the fridge for a good 6-9 month shelf life.