To wash. Or not to wash. That, is the question.

[Patty from Ivy]

I'll wash them if they were anywhere other than the nest box (coop floor or run) - happens occasionally

 

[Angela Thomson]

I have chickens and ducks.
I never wash the chicken eggs.
I always wash the duck eggs because they freaking bury them in dirt, poop and straw. They are pretty filthy. I occasionally have a duck that will lay in the dry nesting box. If her egg is clean and dry, no wash. Honestly though, it's pretty rare for the duck eggs to not look pretty nasty.

My duck eggs are always nasty. They are just messy ducks! I think they roll them around in the mud by their pond!

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

We do both. We wash eggs we are using for the week and put in the frig. The spare eggs goes in cartons and are stored on shelves in the spare bedroom. When we give eggs we don't wash as well always tell them to wash before using. Heck, In the fall if we didn't save some we would run out for Christmas. Me buying eggs puts a smile on our grocers face because most of the time I give him some.

 

[BirdsInParadise]

Wash.
Just because.

 

[RavenTree]

Awesome article about this on Forbes idk if anyone has mentioned or posted it yet but it's a good read...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaa...tish-supermarket-and-vice-versa/#380aafe4050f

 

[rjohns39]

This thread was certainly an interesting read. This is sooooo much a personal decision.
For my family, I only wash dirty eggs. They are washed with hot water (at least 20* warmer than the egg), dried and refrigerated immediately. These are mostly duck eggs as the ducks well are ducks. The rest of my eggs stay in the pantry unwashed. Eggs I sell have to be washed and refrigerated by state law and sold in new cartons. So I do that... Friends who get eggs from me tend to stop by after my evening collection, bring their own cartons and pick through the days clutch. Most of my customers have asked me not to wash and refrigerate, but I just refer them to the state laws...

 

[sweetpea123]

All of our eggs remain in their carton(s) unwashed until they go into the fridge. We only put eggs in the fridge if they will be consumed quickly so they get a quick rinse, dry, and into the fridge carton they go. I prefer to keep surplus eggs unwashed and at room temperature so that I can share with friends and family as needed. We rarely have dirty eggs and only wash those immediately when they are considerably covered. I suppose my answer to the poll is yes, no, AND only when visibly dirty.

You must not live close to people who ask for eggs. My mom gives away more than half lol. She has a roster of who got a dozen last to keep a rotation. We have no rooster

Very nice video! Although I can see the benefit in doing it that way, the only reason why she's doing the mineral oil is BECAUSE the bloom is washed off. From my understanding (and I COULD be wrong) you will still get 6-9 months of storage time from unwashed eggs as long as the bloom is intact.

And washing runs the risk of introducing bacteria into the egg during the washing process and the drying process. With not washing, then I know the egg is protected at all times and there never is the time when bacteria can permeate into the egg...

Can you explain bloom to me? I haven't heard the term before. We don't wash and don't refrigerate. If there are surpluses they get given away. We date all the eggs too with a pencil and there are never more than a week old eggs really

 

[MissChick@dee]

The bloom as it is called is produced by the hen it’s a antibacterial seal that occurs as the shell dries. It’s produced organically from within their reproductive system. Just amazing to me! I don’t mess with Mother Nature.

 

[sweetpea123]

The bloom as it is called is produced by the hen it’s a antibacterial seal that occurs as the shell dries. It’s produced organically from within their reproductive system. Just amazing to me! I don’t mess with Mother Nature.

Thanks. Makes sense to me. Often the only gross stuff we get is piece of egg stuck to I guess the bloom. It's not gross it's just a layer of fluid or something. Glad to know the name now

 

[MissChick@dee]

It coats the outside of the shell. Every egg comes out wet then dries. The miracle of the yummie egg.