Topic of the Week - Cleaning and Storing Eggs

[Allie Grace Sanders]

That simply won't happen unless it is "incubator warm" in your house.

Thanks!

 

[Abriana]

You should always wash in warm water-not hot or cold. Although it is better to scrub with a dry paper towel sometimes washing is needed.
Because a hen coats the egg with a protective coating called the bloom, fresh laid eggs do not need refrigeration. But if you wash the eggs, you wash the coating off and then they will need to be stored in the fridge.
I keep my eggs in a wire basket with a towel (covered in chickens of course!) lining it. That way, if an egg breaks, the basket can be washed and so can the towel.

One last thing! Have you noticed that it is really hard to peel fresh hard boiled eggs? If you steam them and then put them in a bowl of ice and water, let them sit for a bit, and then the shell literally pops off in two pieces.

 

[Footsore]

Hi
I never wash ! My grandparents had a poultry farm ...all free range and he always taught me never to put in water ,well rung cloth to gently wipe any mucky bits off.

Never put in a fridge, I store in a skelter, never have many spare, we give away what we cant eat
,I get a real buzz from friends ,family saying how yummy they are

 

[ChickNanny13]

CONFUSED but think the main thing to remember is wash with WARM water.

I've been collect eggs daily (4 BOs), when the egg carton is full I put in the frig. Wash under tap water before using. When I give eggs to family (frig), let them know I haven't was he the eggs to wash prior to using.

Have read to wash prior to putting in the frig. Store unwashed when not in the frig. Read eggs should be washed with water 20* warmer than the egg?

Now I'm confused as to what tell family. I started storing in the frig cause it got warm (no AC) during the summer months (90s). My girls have been laying since last Oct.

 

[happyhens1972]

Before I'm got my cockerel I would put my eggs on the counter until they got used. He mates with the pullets regularly, so I know they are fertile. How long is it safe to store them on the counter before a partially developed chick embryo pops out when I crack it?

As stated, this would never happen, however, make sure you collect your eggs daily and if you ever find one that you suspect may have been laid on by a hen, discard it. I left someone to look after my flock while I was away on holiday for ten days. I warned them to collect daily, even twice daily, as I had a very broody hen but they were not so vigilant...it resulted in them cracking an egg open for an omelette, to find an embryo of about 5 or 6 days old. They didn't eat another egg for almost a year after that!!

 

[aart]

CONFUSED but think the main thing to remember is wash with WARM water.

I've been collect eggs daily (4 BOs), when the egg carton is full I put in the frig. Wash under tap water before using. When I give eggs to family (frig), let them know I haven't was he the eggs to wash prior to using.

Have read to wash prior to putting in the frig. Store unwashed when not in the frig. Read eggs should be washed with water 20* warmer than the egg?

Now I'm confused as to what tell family. I started storing in the frig cause it got warm (no AC) during the summer months (90s). My girls have been laying since last Oct.

Here's part of my previous post in this thread, with some editing,
does that make sense?:

Eggs should be washed in 'water warmer than the egg'.
Simple physics, using colder water will cause the egg contents to contract, causing any 'germs' on exterior surface of egg shell to be pulled into the interior of egg thru the shell pores. Using warmer water will do the opposite, expand the egg contents pushing any 'germs' out thru the shell pores.

 

[driver]

I put mine in the refrigerator unwashed. I have a rotating carton system, where I write a number on each carton. New eggs go in the highest numbered carton, eggs are used from the lowest number. Right now, I have cartons 11, 12 & 13 in there.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thank you aart & driver, after reading ALL night & have been accused of being an "over thinker" I'm ok doing it my way. I too have a rotating system with egg cartons, our tap water IS warmer than eggs out of the frig. A friend of mine works at the Dept of Ag, she was assured in the frig unwashed is fine, washing before using.

I so do VALUE all your experiences & knowledge
Thank you BYC for having this site

 

[CCUK]

I have a basket on the side in kitchen. I fill 1/2 dozen egg boxes and date the box. I am getting 10-14 eggs a day at the moment. I only clean them if there really mucky. I then keep them in the fridge. I don't really sell them but sometimes I get given a bit of cash toward feed. We get through alot of eggs in my house so I never have eggs more than a week old.

 

[aquabum]

All of our eggs stay on the counter. I have had them for about 2-4 weeks sometimes! Maybe longer sometimes! Never had a bad one. If it's dirty, I wash before use! A little chicken poo or dirt isn't going to hurt anything! Just wash off before use so that it doesn't come in contact with the part you're eating!