Using Our Fresh Farm Eggs

[homechick]

So my bantams are laying tiny eggs and I decided that in a recipe, if I use two bantam eggs where it calls for one egg, that should sufice. Do you think so?
Also, my mother acts like it's dangerous to eat these eggs and I'm sure yall have lots to say about that. I told her that they are fine, even if they sit in the heat for a few hours! We check for eggs twice a day but when I was gone for the weekend, my chickensitter didn't get the eggs. Should they still be safe?
I tried the water test and even leave them in water in a bowl in the fridge. If they start rising some, I'll just throw them out. Is that a good or bad idea?
I don't eat a whole lot of eggs, so how long do they last in the fridge? Out of the fridge? In the nest? Any info will be so helpful!

I'm saving up the eggs for a quich.. I think I'll need like 16 bantam eggs though! lol. Wish I had another hen.. but bantams are hard to find!

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Definately should not store them in water in the fridge... hope this helps:

http://www.mofga.org/Portals/2/Files/Fact Sheet Eggs.pdf

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Nothing wrong with eating banty eggs...or i'm sure I'd be dead by now.

I would say that is a good ratio, 2 bantam eggs in replace of a large egg. I don't know about keeping them in a bowl of water in the fridge. I just float mine before I use them if I'm not sure. I think about 3 weeks in the fridge and maybe a couple days in the nest and not more then 3 or 4 days on the counter. Just put them in cold water before you use them and throw out any floaters.

 

[2mnypets]

Gosh I wish I had all the answers, but I'm going on the side of caution here and say that you shouldn't eat the eggs that the sitter forgot to check for. After a serious hospitalization of Salmonella in my blood and permanent lung damage from Pneumonia due to the Salmonella bacteria, I wouldn't chance it. It's a whole lot cheaper to buy some eggs or wait for your bantams to produce the 16 for that quiche than it is for a $80,000 hospital bill like I'm getting now. Health vs. that impending meal is just not worth it to me anymore. However, I wouldn't think it would hurt to use 2 bantam eggs for 1 standard size egg in a recipe. Let us know what you decide.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Here's a link to a thread when I asked some of the same questions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3858

 

[homechick]

Oh I wonder why it says never put eggs in water or submerge them? I will listen but of course I have to know why! I will just throw these out.

. Don't want to risk anything. I was hoping I wouldn't have to buy eggs again! But at two tiny eggs a day, it takes a while to build up enough for a recipe!
Wonder if I should boil these eggs and give them back to the chickens.. but maybe it's not safe for them either.

 

[homechick]

I did a search and found a little science experiment and it explains that eggs are porous and that air gets in and out of the egg. Guess that's why leaving them in water is bad? No circulation? Guess circulation is needed to keep them good? I hate throwing away those precious little eggs.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Yes the shell is porous...the temp of water has to be the same or warmer than the egg when and if you wash it....if the temp i cooler it causes contraction and things can get in the shell.

I don't see why you couldn't at least feed them back to the chickens...

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes the shell is porous and therefore, if you did not wash the shells (or probably even if you did) then the bacteria from the shell could multiply in the water and get into the egg. Or put more simply -- contaminated water can get into a submerged egg -- that was stated in the document from the Maine Organic Farmers.

I compost any eggs that I don't eat, along with the used bedding from my birds. I've had the best compost pile since I started keeping birds. Between bird waste and our food scraps, we don't generate a whole lot of garbage. I never feel guilty about tossing something on the compost pile, because it never goes to waste!

 

[bigzio]

It's best to collect eggs often and place them in egg cartons in the fridge, they will keep for months without any problems. I have collected thousands of eggs with no problems. Sold some, gave hundreds away and have never bought eggs for alot of years. I never did anything except enjoy the best eggs on earth. I would be suspect of anything in the grocery store, who are you kidding, they are over a month old before they hit the shelf. Cage kept birds should really disgust you, much less eat their eggs and support their terrible living conditions. This is why we have backyard flocks isn't it? I would never support the inhumane treatment that commercial eggs come from. Look for a neighbor who has eggs for sale and do the chickens a favor.

bigzio