found eggs while tossing up deep bedding

[Carson213]

I was throwing down some diatomaceous earth and uncovered three eggs in the deep bedding...no idea how long they had been there but they were obviously covered in soiled bedding. growing up “an egg on the floor was an egg out the door.”...meaning garbage can. I just don’t want anyone getting sick from one of my eggs. Any advice? I am assuming...no matter the age of the egg...covered in bedding for unknown time...better off to just toss and not worry about it?

 

[Carson213]

I was throwing down some diatomaceous earth and uncovered three eggs in the deep bedding...no idea how long they had been there but they were obviously covered in soiled bedding. growing up “an egg on the floor was an egg out the door.”...meaning garbage can. I just don’t want anyone getting sick from one of my eggs. Any advice? I am assuming...no matter the age of the egg...covered in bedding for unknown time...better off to just toss and not worry about it?

knock on wood, i have been lucky that none of them lay outside and only about 3 out of 23 lay on the coop floor vs the nesting boxes. i am hoping the “hold outs” graduate to the nesting boxes. all of my girls are the same breed so i can’t narrow it down to the culprits.

 

[Carson213]

knock on wood, i have been lucky that none of them lay outside and only about 3 out of 23 lay on the coop floor vs the nesting boxes. i am hoping the “hold outs” graduate to the nesting boxes. all of my girls are the same breed so i can’t narrow it down to the culprits.

i am about ready to eliminate all of the bedding just to force them into the boxes....any ideas?

 

[2 many chickens]

Throw them away, I wouldn't eat em.

 

[Chookchicken]

Throw them. You don’t now how old those eggs are and they could potentially give you food poisoning. I wouldn’t risk it.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Yup, you have NO idea...they could be months old.

 

[Perris]

float test: if they sink they are less than a month old and probably fine to eat, if they bob on the surface they are more than a month old and may have gone off.

smell test: bad eggs smell rotten. You can smell it through the shell if it's really rotten.

Eggs have evolved to be laid with others in a nest in the open. They have a natural coating called a bloom, which protects them from bacteria while allowing them to breathe. That will protect them from most threats, including being pooed on.

If you do a float test, or wash them, the water will compromise the bloom, and you should eat them that day or refrigerate them.

If they smell fine but you still don't want to eat them, you could cook them thoroughly and feed them back to your chickens.