Wash my eggs?

[Kt95]

I’ve been raising chickens for a couple years now, and am to the point of maybe building an egg shack at the end of my driveway to sell my extras - self serve. My question is, do I wash them first? Put them in a cooler? Put a disclaimer that they are unwashed? What do you guys do?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I wash the eggs I sell, but otherwise don't wash my eggs. When you wash them it takes away the egg bloom, letting in bacteria which will make the eggs rot.

I did an experiment and found out that it takes exactly 2 weeks for washed eggs left out of the fridge to rot. Washed eggs will not go bad if stored in the fridge, but they will be fine out of the fridge for just a day or two.

You can find more information here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/store-eggs-vs-farm-eggs.75405/

I'm wishing you the best of luck with your sales!

 

[Love my chickens 25]

Washing I know is fine as long as you dry it right away

 

[Love my chickens 25]

I never wash mine usually the dog gets the really dirty ones but I agree with soft silkie as long as dryed right away

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

I'm planning on doing the same thing ... egg shack of sorts at the end of the driveway. I don't wash my eggs. I'm planning on posting something about that with the eggs are not washed, so that buyers know and explain the reason why. I have a small flock/coop that I clean every day, so my eggs are pretty clean as-is. Certainly, if there's a blob of something, I'll wipe it clean.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I only have two customers and they like my eggs because they are clean, so yes, I do wash them. I do so now shortly before putting them in cartons, and I do keep them refrigerated. According to the USDA, washed, refrigerated eggs are safe for up to 100 days from egg to plate. That's over 3 months. They're not going to rot in the two weeks it takes my customers to use them. I also pencil the date they came out of the chicken on the rounded end as an added assurance of freshness. I deliver to a location convenient to my customers and me once a week. My price reflects the fact that they return clean cartons to me.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Really great idea to date the eggs!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

There is a lot of conroversy about egg washing. Washing the eggs, as someone said, removes the natural protective coating that keeps bacteria from entering the egg. In Europe eggs are not washed and they are not refrigerated. In America, washed eggs have to be refrigerated. So it seems to be a matter of personal choice, but do be informed. If you wash, refrigerate. Keep your nests as clean as possible in any case.

 

[Kt95]

Thank you everybody! I store my eggs unwashed, but my free range chickens encounter plenty of mud here in the winter in Oregon so there are almost always footprints on some of them and I don't think the general public would appreciate it. The timing on how long eggs are good washed and unwashed will also help me make a decision. Right now, I am getting through most of my eggs but I know production will be ramping up soon so I wanted to get all my ducks in a row

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd double check with your state's dept of agriculture to make sure there's no rules for selling eggs. In some states there's very little regulation, especially for home grown foodstuffs, in others, you may need permits or certain signage even for a small operation.