How long is an egg stay edible

[daniel-delarosa]

I was wondering how long eggs stay good after you collect them? I did a search and read that unwashed are ok to set on the counter and washed eggs have to be refrigerated. But I didn't see anything on the shelf life. How long can an unwashed egg set on the counter before it goes into the fridge, and after it DOES go in the fridge how long can it set in there? I doubt any of my eggs will have time to go bad with all of my family, but i have a "thing" about food going bad. Like Orange Juice, I wont drink any after the first day it is opened. lol

 

[lovinlife]

An egg is still viable in the nest for well over a week (the hen lays an egg a day and won't sit on them until she's laid a nest-full, so the first one laid is 10 days old before it starts to develop into a chick), so it will be fine on the counter for that long, too. A refrigerated farm egg will be good for over a month, I've heard up to 6 weeks. Don't wash the eggs until you're ready to use them. Washing removes the bloom (protective coating) and allows air into the egg, so they won't last as long. If I have a very dirty egg, I'll soak it in warm water for a minute and gently rub the gunk off. It's one I'll use in the next few days, but it would last much longer. I rarely refrigerate my eggs. I put them on the counter and either sell them or give them away within a few days. We eat them before there is a need to refrigerate.

I read an article about how eggs were stored a few centuries ago. They would rub lard on the eggs and set them in a dark cool corner, the eggs would last for up to six months. The lard kept air out of the egg so they lasted longer. Crazy!

 

[wegotchickens]

When it doubt, put an eating egg in a deep bowl of water. If it floats, toss it. If it acts like it's ready to float, cook it DONE, like in a cake or something.

I don't recommend this test for hatching eggs......

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

A professional dairy and egg farmer I know dates her eggs out eight weeks from the day she retrieves them out of her hens nests.


She says they are good for three months, but she puts the "Best Used By ____" date at 8 weeks so that the customer will still have another month after the date to use the eggs.


She does NOT wash her eggs, but she does refrigerate them -- and assumes that the customer does too.


Personally, I've eaten eggs that were not washed and stayed on the kitchen table (were not refrigerated) for a month. I'm still living, or at least I was last time I took my blood pressure.

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
I thought that was backwards...

 

[AKsmama]

Quote:
I thought that was backwards...

Nope. . . the older the egg, the bigger the air cell, so the more it floats. If it doesn't float, it's good; if it tips up, use soon; if it floats, toss it.

 

[Chick Charm]

I will gladly eat any egg my chickens have laid up to 3 weeks previously without any refridgeration. That is a personal take on things. I have never had any issues with three week old NOT refridgerated eggs. I do know that most store bought eggs are refridgerated and some take up to 3 weeks to get to the stores. So do what is comfortable for you. My relatives say they have no problem eating an egg that has NOT been refriderated for up to a month. Personally I draw the line at three weeks. I can't tell you though the last time an egg around here lasted more than 5 days before eating. NUM NUM

 

[KellyandKatie]

My hubby is a submarine sailor, he tells me they eat the same eggs they pack from home port the entire deployment, and they are stored in the bilge (not refrigerator) he says they cook green a couple months in, but they still eat them

I am not recommending this, the float test is what I use for our personal home eggs, but I think its funny every time I hear about the green eggs and ham the sailors enjoy underway

needless to say, hubby is not too picky about old eggs are our house

 

[booker81]

They'll last a heck of a lot longer than you'd probably want to eat them

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1977-11-01/Fresh-Eggs.aspx

 

[Muscovies]

The first 1-8 days then it starts to develop the chick