To wash or not to wash eggs? That is the ?

[Aapomp831]

Leave the eggs covered in the counter in an egg carton until ready to use. Then wash and enjoy. If you decide to wash your eggs, it’s fine; they just need to be refrigerated and then eaten within 2 weeks. Washing the egg removes the “bloom” which is what keeps bacteria from forming inside the egg. We leave our eggs on the counter dirty all the time. I consider them to be like tomatoes.... wash right before use and only refrigerate if absolutely necessary.

 

[21hens-incharge]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cleaning-and-storing-fresh-eggs.66816/

This article is a good one to read. Within it are a couple links to more good reads.

 

[Amy 4]

I have been doing this based on the advice of others on here. Scrambled eggs are often recommended as a protein treat for chickens and ducks and crushed eggshells may be a good calcium supplement in addition to oyster shell. I try not to throw much of anything away. I may re-evaluate if I ever have an egg eater, but crushed and cooked they aren't exactly recognizable.

Oh I thought you ment you where giving them back to them as just a whole egg

 

[PirateGirl]

Oh I thought you ment you where giving them back to them as just a whole egg

Nope, I crush it, either raw in their food bowl, or I crush it and cook it for a minute in the microwave so it's not recognizable.

 

[lazy gardener]

I really wouldn’t feed them back to your flock as they will get the taste for egg and maybe even start eating there own after they have laid them.

This is an old wives tale. @Beekissed has been raising poultry for 40+ years, and she has never had an egg eater. She will toss whole eggs onto the ground, and the birds will have the expected feeding frenzy. However, in all her years of poultry management, this has not led to "egg eating. I do cook the eggs that go back to my flock, and routinely give them a bowl full of egg shells. i make no effort to disguise the fact that they are getting egg shells. If I do any thing to prep the shells, I simply stomp on them when I put them down. But, often they get egg shells which are straight from the kitchen.

Birds will eat weak shelled eggs, shell less eggs. When they are starting up after a winter break, there are more likely to be weak eggs, so, it can be a "seasonal" issue.

I have feed raw eggs back to the flock, it does not cause egg eaters. I have never had an egg eater, unless there was a broken egg, then they will certainly clean it up.
I do not wash the eggs, they set on the counter at room temp, I may get the wild idea to hatch some,,,,

I do lightly wash eggs for my customers. I have some customers who insist on unwashed eggs. And I will happily comply if doing so will not cause stress to anyone else. I had one customer at work who wanted her eggs unwashed, but I told her that if I did that, she needed to not put them in the employee refrigerator. I find it easier to wash eggs to ensure that there are no skid marks. I keep a special carton for any eggs that are not "premium" for my own use, and sell all the best ones.

 

[Cyprus]

Personally, I wash all of my eggs regardless. The only eggs I don't wash are the ones that I collect completely clean.
I guess that's just personal preference but it also has to do with my consumer base. I only sell to my friends in the city, and I don't feel they'd appreciate anything less than clean eggs. Furthermore, I know that the eggs I give away are all consumed within a week and are refrigerated. So, really, there isn't any reason for me NOT to wash eggs.

 

[MyChickenShack]

I generally keep all my egg shells, once rinsed and air dried, in an old ice cream bucket from some store bought ice cream. Once I get a bucket full, I crush by hand or in a food processor and store in a mason jar. This is great to add to your tomatoes to add calcium and decrease chance of blossom end rot. But sometimes, I get lazy and just crush them and give them to chickens. It gives them calcium for nice eggs. If I get over ran with eggs, like now (seems like people aren't buying as much as they did in winter for me anyway), I like to boil maybe 18 or so and make deviled eggs. We can eat on what we want with a meal and I take the rest to work and my co-workers finish them up But sometimes, I just pull some of my older eggs out and scramble up some as a treat for my chickens. Gives them some protein. I too have never had a egg eater, with the exception, as mentioned above, an occasional raw egg that they will gobble up. But as far as a hen just eating freshly laid eggs from the nesting box, never had a problem. Also, I spot clean my eggs. If they are clean, I don't mess with them, but if they have a poop streak I will use a damp cloth or paper towel and wipe that streak off. I refrigerate my eggs as norm but have kept them on counter, but for me usually just a few days before they are either consumed or boxed up to sell. Regularly checking your boxes and replacing any soiled straw will help keep eggs cleaner. And if possible, regular egg collection too. That is not always possible. I work 3 days a week and on those days, I can only collect at end of day...but if possible to collect maybe twice a day, that will help them stay cleaner. Seems like lots of ideas have worked for lots of people, so just find what works for you, makes you feel comfortable and safe. Good luck.

 

[chickenweirdo1]

I really wouldn’t feed them back to your flock as they will get the taste for egg and maybe even start eating there own after they have laid them.

You shouldn't give them the egg whole because, like mentioned they will get a taste for eggs. What i do is wash the eggs if the are dirty cook the yoke and whites then, crush up the egg shell and feed it to them. It gives them needed calcium and vitamins. that way they don't go to waste either.

 

[clucklady]

I just change the approach. I point out that supermarket eggs are provided by hens who can't ever spread their wings because of the cages that they live in. My eggs are muddy because my hens are loving life - playing in mud puddles and eating delicious bugs. So - dirty eggs come from happy chickens!
My customers love muddy eggs (I don't tell them what some of that "mud" is) because mud = joy.

 

[tuesdaylove]

I don't wash my eggs until just before I'm about to crack them. Even the really dirty ones -- if they're super dirty, I'll cook them for the chickens or some of my other pets. I've never sold eggs to strangers, but I do give away an occasional dozen to family and close friends. I always tell them not to mind the dirt due to the bloom, and to wash just before using, but I always try to give other people the cleanest and most recent eggs I have.