twist in the to refrige eggs or not debate

[NC Chicken Gal]

Quote:
That's funny...now that they FINALLY started laying, that is eggsactly what I do

But I know that when REAL life sets in, I wont be able to

 

[Amethyste]

Yup yup they are fine sitting out.

I never refrigerate my eggs except if we have a heat wave. Then they go in...but 99% of the time they are on counter.

In the UK and Europe you dont buy refrigerated eggs lol they are on the dry shelves. I have had them sit out for weeks and still used them...they were just fine.

I dont wash the eggs either unless right before using them to cook.

 

[Judy]

I have gotten very few poopy eggs and never wash any others, not even at time of use. I do refrigerate, but truth is that's more old habit than belief it is needed.

Mother Earth News did a lengthy study on various ways to store eggs and how long they last. It is a very good read, and easy enough to find on their website. Bottom line, they are good for months at room temp, but various factors affect this, and they do last longer if refrigerated.

 

[terri9630]

Here are a couple of other ways to store them. One of the hatcheries sells some stuff to coat the eggs with that is supposed to keep them fresh for about a year. I don't remember which one though.

http://www.greatdreams.com/egg-storage.htm

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles11/miscellaneous-recipes-13.shtml

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
Are you spying on me?

ETA: My eggs sit on the counter until I have a doz. (generally 48/72 hrs for a doz) then I stick them in the fridge. I do not wash, even before use. Dirty eggs are washed and used that day/stuck in the fridge/or feed to some critter (dog, bird).

 

[kelidei]

Quote:
I am curious-- I was told that washed eggs (like when they are REAL dirty) can be coated with a thin layer of food grade mineral oil that is supposed to act like the original bloom on the egg--- anyone do this or know anything about it?

 

[catwalk]

I grew up on an egg farm, and we did use food grade mineral oil for a while. This is when we gathered the eggs by hand with a cart we pushed down the aisle. When we had a couple of flats gathered, we'd spritz it with oil out of a spray bottle. The new "state of the art" automatic packer in the hi-rise coops had a sponge roller that passed over the eggs. I don't think much became of it, for we only did that for a couple of years, in the mid '80's.

 

[txchickie]

I don't refrigerate my eggs, UNLESS they are dirty (like someone lays in a mudpuddle

). If they are dirty, I wash and scrub them and put them in the fridge. Otherwise, I have a pretty egg basket that sits on my kitchen counter and all eggs go in there, unwashed.

I prefer to have them unwashed because I mark them with what hen layed and the date, and if I have a broody attempting to hatch golf balls, I just pick what eggs from what hen I'd like to hatch and stick them under her!

 

[Chooksaurus]

Quote:
How do you keep track of them when more than one lay in the same box? Do you just kinda know whose is whose? We get home from work and there are 4-5 in the same box and I can narrow it down to RIR vs. BR, but that is about it.