Fresh egg question

[SEPMJR09]

Hello! I get 4 eggs a day! Wha who! So exciting!! How long are fresh eggs good for, and also do they need to be refrigerated when I pick them up from the coop or do/can I leave them on the counter ? Thank you!!

 

[tn_artist]

You can leave them on the counter, if you don't wash them.
If you wash them, they must be refrigerated.
I haven't had any long enough for them to go bad, but I think I read that it is two months in the 'fridge.
You can test them if you are unsure. Place egg in several inches of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is good. If it floats, it is bad.

 

[slordaz]

I never wash them to not disturb the bloom that protects the egg from getting bacteria inside, I wash when I'm going to use them, I store eggs in fridge any that I leave on counter are for hatching as I have a rooster in the flock. But my eggs unfortunately don't last long enough to see just how long they will stay good, besides what we eat I share eggs with elderly and disabled people in the community or a family in crisis

 

[rosemarythyme]

I know some people wouldn't do it, but I have no qualms about keeping eggs in the fridge 3 or 4 months... Obviously it's safest to crack all eggs separately before using to make sure there isn't anything off about them.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

According to the USDA, refrigerated eggs are good for 100 days from hen to plate. I'm sorry I can't c&p the link. That's three months and something like 17 days!

Some people wash, some don't. I know one lady who takes eggs straight from the nest and puts them directly into cartons, along with whatever sticks to them - poop, feathers, straw, whatever. I'm not okay with that. I do refrigerate mine, and I pencil the date they were laid on the big end, but they certainly don't last anywhere close to 100 days.

 

[aart]

Place egg in several inches of water. If it sinks to the bottom, it is good. If it floats, it is bad.

This is not true.
Older eggs may float due to evaporation,
but it won't tell you if they are 'good' or 'bad'.
..and then they have been wetted so should be thoroughly washed and refrigerated.

When in doubt....
Open eggs one at a time in a separate dish before adding to pan or recipe,
use your eyes, nose, and common sense to decide if egg is OK to eat.

 

[ChickNanny13]

The eggs we get at our markets are "old" by the time we get them ... Shipping from you all (Mainland) is about a month, refrigerated. I'm with @rosemarythyme although eggs laid by my girls are gone by the end of the month I only have 4 girls so between Hubby & friends, they don't last long in the frig.

I don't wash, just collect on the counter then refrigerate when a carton is full. It's been very hot here, luckily in between layers otherwise I wouldn't store on the counter.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The eggs we get at our markets are "old" by the time we get them ... Shipping from you all (Mainland) is about a month, refrigerated. I'm with @rosemarythyme although eggs laid by my girls are gone by the end of the month I only have 4 girls so between Hubby & friends, they don't last long in the frig.

During most of the year we keep a steady rotation of eggs. But with shorter days and cold weather around the corner I've stopped giving away eggs with the intention of stretching out my fall eggs long enough to make it through winter, as I've normally gotten zero eggs through winter regardless of the ages of my layers.