Harvesting eggs

[kentypoo]

After i harvest an egg from a hen is there anything special i have to do to it or can i just eat it right away
I have only hens

 

[salt and pepper]

if it's clean, go ahead and eat it! it can actually be harmful to wash an egg.

 

[kentypoo]

So i dont need to do anything at all after it comes out of the chicken?

 

[my sunwolf]

No. That's how you get them in the grocery store! You don't even have to refrigerate as long as you're going to eat them within a few weeks and you keep them at room temp.

 

[kentypoo]

Thanks that helps alot

 

[my sunwolf]

And I should have mentioned, if you do get poop suck to an egg, you can try to rub it off with a dry or moist (paper) towel. If it's really bad, I always run the egg under water to get the poop off and use it right away, though some people prefer to toss these eggs.

 

[redsoxs]

I have not heard that it is harmful to wash eggs. I usually rinse mine under luke warm tap water but will soak them for a few minutes if there is poop that won't easily come off. There are also commercial egg washes available at various farm and ranch stores.

 

[nakstk]

It's not "harmful" to wash the egg off. Washing the egg just removes the bloom that is on it. Egg bloom naturally protects the egg form bacteria entering the egg. I don't wash my eggs til right before I use them unless they have poop stuck to them. But I do refrigerate them.

 

[CarolynF]

DO NOT soak your eggs in water! The longer they are in the water the greater the chance of bacteria penetrating the pores of the shell. Egg shells are porous and bacteria can enter more easily when the bloom is washed off. If you feel the need to rinse them off, make sure the water is 20 degrees warmer than the egg and do it quickly.

Think about the fact that a baby chick hatches from an egg that has been sitting UN refrigerated for quite some time. The bloom is protecting them from harmful bacteria. Momma hen doesn't clean them. Mother Nature knows what she's doing. .

But if there is poo on the shell when you crack it into a pan or bowl, said poo may fall into your food. I rub off visible debris right after I collect the eggs. Then rinse it off with very warm water just before using it. Works for me at least.