Hen or rooster

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Thanks for joining us, have fun with your birds!
 
Like I said I'm still really new at this. How will you know if an egg is ok to eat
 
Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

pilot girl said:
Like I said I'm still really new at this. How will you know if an egg is ok to eat
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Float test works great. You put the egg in a bowl of water. If it lays flat on the bottom, it's very fresh and edible. If it stands on end but touches the bottom of the bowl, it's old but still edible. If it floats it's gone bad. Always works for me.
 
Could they ever be like dieased or something. When you buy them in the store aren't they put through some kind of light to make sure they're ok. I know this must sound stupid but just curious
 
pilot girl said:
Could they ever be like dieased or something. When you buy them in the store aren't they put through some kind of light to make sure they're ok. I know this must sound stupid but just curious
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Generally speaking, no. I mean the most common potential issue with eggs is Salmonella, but that's pretty much a non-issue with backyard flocks. To see someone get sick from backyard eggs is almost unheard of. Generally the best ways to keep your eggs fresh and clean are either to leave them UNWASHED and on the counter, where they will keep for several weeks, or to (optionally) wash them with warm (never cool or cold) water and refrigerate them, where they will keep for a couple months. If it gets hotter than about 80 degrees in your house during the summer, you should go for the refrigeration option.

The only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask. :)
 
pilot girl said:
Could they ever be like dieased or something. When you buy them in the store aren't they put through some kind of light to make sure they're ok. I know this must sound stupid but just curious
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Quote: X2 When a hen lays an egg, she puts a protective coating on the egg called the "Bloom". This keeps out all bacteria from entering the egg. Should she want to incubate her eggs, she wouldn't want any bacteria entering the egg and killing the embryos. So it is best not to wash your eggs unless they are really pooped up, as you are washing off this protective coating. The eggs you buy in the store are run through a cleaning cycle and a light coating of some sort of oils are applied to protect the egg. They do this to protect the public. But your hens have a system of protecting the eggs and as long as you don't wash off the bloom, no bacteria enters the egg.

As stated above, unwashed eggs will remain viable on your counter for several weeks if they aren't subject to too much heat. I do prefer to refrigerate my eggs immediately however. And if you feel you need to wash them off or they are all poopied up, go ahead and wash them with warm water, (cool pushes bacteria into the egg) and keep them refrigerated. You should consume washed eggs within one week. And ALWAYS fully cook eggs just in case. :-)
 

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