I think I'm getting more confused by the minute....

[emjay]

wow, that is fascinating , I really had no idea, I am going to say I feel really dense but so very enlightened now. I have learned so much about chickens, coops etc over the last few days.

That is very interesting about how long eggs can stay outside and stay viable once a hen decides to brood on them.
so very very interesting.
so good to know. and yet to keep them outside that long and them still be edible??? that sure puts the whole fridge thing out doesn't it. But, I'm so glad I learned this. this is good.
thank you so much for explaining that to me.

 

[Akane]

Actually if your storing eggs for more than 2weeks you will get a better hatch rate from keeping them in the fridge provided your fridge isn't colder than normal. Someone did manage to freeze their eggs in the fridge which takes temps well below 32F since eggs do not freeze as fast as water. The ideal storage is in the 60s F but for no more than 10days preferably a week or the hatch rate will begin to go down. That doesn't mean that on say day 12 all of a sudden all your eggs are "dead" and will no longer hatch or that nothing will develop if your house is 70-80F. It means you might have a couple not develop instead of 100%. If you set fresh fertile eggs from your flock that have been stored properly 100% should make chicks even if a few of those don't hatch. If you set eggs after several weeks or in warmer temperatures you will get some that do nothing. By the time you get to 4weeks I wouldn't bet on more than 50-60% hatching.

Eggs can sit on the counter for weeks if not more than a month and still be completely edible. An experiment was done that found fresh eggs put in the fridge without washing or anything special were still good after 6months. It's been said eggs age equal to 1 week in the fridge for every day on the counter. If that math held true over longer periods of time eggs can sit on the counter for quite awhile and still be perfectly good. Most people use them up much quicker than that though.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

We hatched a refrigerator chick once...

 

[emjay]

it just goes to show, we should start living the way the settlers did, we've been all made paranoid. Just like drinking milk from a cow.
Once again, I would never have believed eggs could stay out of the fridge and be good. I just keep learning so many new things.
But, I will probably still keep them in the fridge, habits die hard.

 

[toetoe]

found this.

Length of Time Chicken Eggs Are Good
Various answers by our contributors:
Here is a true test of freshness: Get a bowl of cold water. Put the whole egg in the water. If it sinks, it's fresh; if it floats to the top, it is old. It will kind of lay almost on its side. You can see the age of it by how much it floats. It's a good idea to do this test before selling any eggs if you suspect they are older than two weeks.

However, by putting the eggs in water, you wash away the bloom from the egg, a protective layering that prevents bacteria from entering the egg. Therefore, unless you are not expecting to keep the eggs for very long, you should not put them in water. If you must wash the eggs, use HOT running water.
Farmers have 30 days from the day an egg is laid to get it to stores. Then, the stores have another 30 days to sell the eggs. The FDA recommends a maximum of 5 weeks in your refrigerator before you discard your eggs. What does this all boil down to? On April 1, you could be eating an egg that was laid on Christmas.

Keep in mind that farmers generally get their eggs to stores within a week, and both the "pack date" and "sell by" date are stamped onto the carton. The numbers run from 1-365, depending on the day of the year. Lastly, there is a big difference in taste between farm fresh eggs and week-old eggs. If you want the freshest eggs, you can buy from a local farmer.

If eggs start out as Grade AA, they remain AA for only two weeks if properly refrigerated. After that, they'll be Grade A for another 2 weeks.

Eggs can remain edible for even longer than a month, but freshness (egg yolk that sits firm and high, and a thick viscous egg white) will be noticeably less after two weeks.

There is an expiration date on the carton. If in doubt, put the egg in water. If it floats, do not use it.

 

[emjay]

interesting. I knew about the floating trick.

but interesting in the grading, and how long you can keep them.
I have learned so many neat things today. I feel like a sponge.

 

[PunkinPeep]

This is a very educational thread!

 

[emjay]

I agree !!!!!!

 

[toetoe]

I agree..I have helped my flock with all the help that I have been given here.

I'm even getting better at breeds guessing and sexing the darn birds.

I'm loving all the things I'm am learning.