To wash or not to wash...eggs

[Beekissed]

It's been raining for two days and everywhere is ankle deep mud.
I can't clean their coops and there's lots of poops.

Deep litter makes for nice clean eggs in the nest for rainy days....the litter tends to absorb and clean off muddy feet before they make it to the nest boxes. My birds free range, so there really isn't a muddy pen to contend with but the area directly in front of their pop door is bare earth, so it does get muddy, if not poopy. You could try using deep litter in your coops? I use hay in my nest boxes and the hens never kick it out, so I'm not sure why yours do....are the nest boxes deep enough to contain nesting materials?

I don't wash my eggs but I will gently wipe with a moist cloth if there are smudges~but only if. I keep mine out on the counter for as long as I can as I don't like the fridge smells getting to my eggs....might be my imagination but I swear I can taste those smells when I eat the eggs.

So - for those of you leaving them out, unwashed.... are they fertile eggs?? All my eggs are fertile. i would think setting them out in warmer air might cause them to set??

A hen won't sit a nest until it is full of eggs....so she makes a nest, lays one each day, covers that one and repeats this procedure until the nest is to her desired number of eggs.....then she starts to sit. If she didn't do this all the eggs would hatch at different times. Leaving fertile eggs on the counter is no different.....they won't start to develop until a certain level of constant heat and humidity is applied. Room temp is nowhere warm enough, even in the summer months. No worries on the fertile eggs being left out of the fridge!​

 

[catterbug]

I got my first egg today and this post has been so helpful. I did not wash the egg but I did put it right into the fridge. How long can they sit out on the counter? If you put them in the fridge do they always need to be kept cold or can you then leave them on the counter?

 

[biddyboo]

Like Ozark Hen, we do not wash our eggs (perhaps spot clean any unusual soiling), we keep them at room temperature, we give them to neighbors and friends and explain that they are fresh, unwashed, and have a natural "bloom" that keeps the egg fresh without refrigeration if used in a timely span of days. No problems. ~G

 

[pusskatkins]

Quote:
I agree. I have a separate fridge in my garage for unwashed eggs. I would never place dirty eggs next to food. My husband made this mistake once, and everything on that shelf that wasn't packaged or sealed was tossed. I sell my eggs and wash them with an organic enzyme cleaner. I would not dare to do so otherwise, even for my family's consumption. We wash our hands with antibacterial soap after handling the eggs and chickens, and disinfect door knobs and surfaces that were touched.
Call me germphobic, but I take precautions that will keep my home and customers, happy and healthy!

 

[nightowl223]

So glad I finally have a reason to come looking for the consensus answer to this question

Have collected a whole 5 eggs from my pullets, so far!

Not much, but it's progress!

So, sounds like things haven't changed much in the 30 years since I last had chickens. Wipe off the especially grimy spots, store them in a cool spot or a 50-60 degree F refrigerator, and only wash when ready to use. If selling, learn what your customers want, after you tell them why you would prefer not to wash.

My apologies to those who choose to wash them immediately & every time. Never did it before, not gonna do it now... then again, the eggs are stored away from the other foods.

I'll be getting a smallish refrigerator just for eggs soon as I find a bargain

That way, the temp can be set optimally for egg storage, and I won't have to be concerned about any cross-contamination

 

[Momagain1]

yeah I if I absolutely HAVE to; wipe it off with a dry paper towel; placein basket and let 'em sit...

never do I refrigerate eggs...the ppl I am now selling them to; dont either..(a whole 3 ppl lol)...

there is no reason to; the bloom protects the egg...

 

[petercriddell]

I gather them up and let them sit on the counter until the evening when they get to room temperature. I then wash them in warm water with a little mild hand soap. I don't use a brush or anything; I just rub them with my hands under the running water. I then put them on a paper towel to dry before refrigerating them. Haven't had any problems so far, and the eggs taste great!

 

[roadrunner0]

We try to keep the Hen House and nests clean by replacing the bedding once a week in the winter and every other week in the warm months they can be outside.. I wet wash my eggs that we sell in a solution of room temperature water and splash less bleach at a ratio of 3 tablespoons per quart.. This type of bleach has a gel base and when the eggs dry it leaves a slight coating on the shells.. We gather eggs twice a day in the cooler months and 3 time a day in the warmer months.. After washing and a pat dry they go right into the fridge.. We date the cartons and store the ones for resale for a max of 10 days and suggest usage within 2 weeks.. The 10 days in our fridge is done for 2 reasons, First is shelf life and second is storage space.. We have a large fridge but once the stock takes over 2 shelves it is time to donate them all to the food bank or shelter.. I do have one customer who requests unwashed and unrefrigerated but this is by appointment and pickup is on the same day they are layed..

 

[Alesia]

ok so some wash with soap or bleach but most do not i have a really weird question i was watching doomsday preggers and one lady said that if u coat the eggs if mineral oil and store in a cool dry place they can last for several months she said 9 to 12 months has anyone else heard this?

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...you can coat them in Vaseline and store them for 3 months from what I've read of those people who prepare for an ocean voyage. The oil just coats the eggs so that they are no longer porous.