found an old hidden nest full of eggs! still ok to eat?

[nuchickontheblock]

Until the past week, we have allowed our chickens to mostly free range in our fenced yard all day. We just had a bout of 2 chickens being broody at the same time and no eggs from our reliable layer. So, For the past week we have been keeping the chickens in the coop/enclosed pen/open run area to try to get them back to laying in the coop nest box regularly. today, we let them out and one of the girls ran behind a stone wall and disappeared. We have been trying to find her nest in that area, as she disappears in that back section of the yard regularly; but just located it today. Under an overhanging rock under the stone wall. She was sitting on 8 eggs. One might be from today, but the others are at least 1 week old and probably way older. They are really dirty too.
Anyway . . . she is now in broody jail.

We have had variable temps (20's to 40's) and wondered if we should even try to see if the eggs are good. My DH thinks we should just chuck em. We don't have a roo, so no chance they are fertilized.

Advice??

 

[dandelionheart]

With those temps I'd say they were still good... but probably use them for baked goods or something. You can always cook them and give them back to them.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Nooo!! Good lord, they are most likely rotten. Even if only a few are, why take a chance? I have had Salmonella, and trust me, it is miserable. Don't do it.

 

[panner123]

Float them. Place the ggs in a bowl of water, if that float they are no good for eating. If they sink enjoy them. Remember an egg will still be good for 2 weeks just sitting in a basket on the table.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:

My flock freeranges and while *most* of the hens are good about coming back to the nest boxes every once in awhile somebody gets tricky. I've used the float test many times and it works great.

Any eggs that tilt up a lot, but don't float I consider borderline and either feed back to the chickens (scrambled) or give raw to the dogs. None of them have been stinky, just not what I want to feed my family. I usually hardboil the keepers since I have a frige full of fresh and by doing the float test I've removed the bloom from the eggs in question.

 

[mommyofthree]

I would say just throw them out if you don't know for sure how old they are. Why risk getting sick over a few eggs? I recently found a nest of about 20 eggs and there was no way I was going to attempt to eat any of them.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I once found a nest of eggs when we had our first batch of chickens several years ago. I did the float test.

I scrambled the ones that passed the float test. They tasted very "off."

I ate them anyway (and didn't get sick), but now I wish I hadn't because I still remember that taste....

 

[dandelionheart]

Salmonella isn't from old eggs. And refrigerators usually run at 40 o... and eggs are good in the fridge for months. I don't see what the issue is... You may have thawed and frozen the eggs unnecessarily which could effect taste/texture.

If you are overproducing eggs and won't miss them and feel weird eating them, chuck them... but if you are like me and only get a few eggs a day at this time of year...