Washing before eating

[Aardyn]

Hello Fellow Chicken Families!!

Well we are two months in and we have embraced chicken math. Our 1st coup, as many of you kindly commented on, is now a spare for future hatchlings. We had a new and improved coop built by a local builder and we love it! In addition, a friend needed to rehome her flock so we went from six to 13 plus a rooster! Aaaaaand we have had our first egg and now today a second hen laid HER 1st egg. It is all so exciting!!!

I know there have been A LOT of posts on washing eggs and I have read through MANY of them. Forgive me if the answer is out there and I missed it. I know if you wash eggs, you damage the bloom and they have to be refrigerated. We are keeping ours out on the counter, bloom intact. My question is when you go to use the eggs.....do you wash the eggs? Ours are not dirty but it makes sense to at least rinse them before cracking them and cooking them. Yes? No? If you do 'wash' them...wash them with what? Seems there are some strong views on food safety when it comes to eggs. I thought I'd come here and check out what the experts have to say!!

Thanks!!

On a separate note....the rooster we inherited is very mellow. He is still youngish (6 -8 months) but he shows no aggression towards me our any of my kids when we go in the coop or run. BUT just about everyone and their brother has warned me he will likely try to attack us, especially the kids as he gets older. Fact or fiction? Your experience?

I only wash mine if they are dirty

 

[Aardyn]

Hey, this is interesting! Can you tell us how to pasteurize eggs? I assume this is something done in the shell?

When I want to make and eat raw cookie dough I'll pasteurize my eggs first with a sous vide at 135F for 75 minutes. They do end up looking a little milky inside but for what I'm using them for it doesn't matter.

 

[Huntmaster]

Don't know about that. I'm not eating poopy eggs.

Trying to give those that do wash their eggs the best options for doing it if they wish that's all, never would tell you what to do. As long as all info is good everyone should use that and make best decisions for themselves and their situations.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Trying to give those that do wash their eggs the best options for doing it if they wish that's all, never would tell you what to do. As long as all info is good everyone should use that and make best decisions for themselves and their situations.

And I appreciate that.

 

[Huntmaster]

And I appreciate that.

The talk always seems to be to wash or not wash. Never best practices if you do wash, as you can do more harm than good with wrong processes. I would love to hear more from those that do wash what their methods are.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The talk always seems to be to wash or not wash. Never best practices if you do wash, as you can do more harm than good with wrong processes. I would love to hear more from those that do wash what their methods are.

Good point. Okay. Here's what I do. I gather daily, of course, and when I do, I write the date on the big end of each egg. The eggs go into in a square plastic container in the refrigerator, unwashed. Each container holds about a dozen eggs. At the end of the week, usually on a Friday, I wash the eggs. I put some warm water in a sink with a little Dawn dish soap and a small shot of Clorox (not literally a shot, just a splash). I wear gloves. I put a dozen eggs in a wire basket, dip the basket in the soapy water, and use a container to pour the soapy water over the eggs a few times. I do not soak the eggs in the soapy water. In the next sink I turn on the faucet, low volume, spray, warm water. I hold each egg briefly under the water to rinse off any soap. If the egg is dirty (poopy) I use a wet paper towel to remove said soil from the egg, rinse it again and put it and all the clean eggs in a large bowl. The bowl holds three dozen eggs. When the bowl is full I carry it to the counter where I have spread a clean white dish towel. I place the eggs on the towel to air dry and repeat till all the eggs are clean. When the eggs are clean and dry I place them in clean cartons and return them to the refrigerator where they remain until sold, given away or used. I keep two dozen for our family's use. One dozen will be hard-cooked, the other is for daily use. Those sold or given away will be used within a week or two.

I would appreciate your feedback on this method.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh. Extremely soiled and/or cracked eggs are removed and discarded, not for human consumption. I keep my nests clean so this is seldom a problem.

 

[Huntmaster]

Good point. Okay. Here's what I do. I gather daily, of course, and when I do, I write the date on the big end of each egg. The eggs go into in a square plastic container in the refrigerator, unwashed. Each container holds about a dozen eggs. At the end of the week, usually on a Friday, I wash the eggs. I put some warm water in a sink with a little Dawn dish soap and a small shot of Clorox (not literally a shot, just a splash). I wear gloves. I put a dozen eggs in a wire basket, dip the basket in the soapy water, and use a container to pour the soapy water over the eggs a few times. I do not soak the eggs in the soapy water. In the next sink I turn on the faucet, low volume, spray, warm water. I hold each egg briefly under the water to rinse off any soap. If the egg is dirty (poopy) I use a wet paper towel to remove said soil from the egg, rinse it again and put it and all the clean eggs in a large bowl. The bowl holds three dozen eggs. When the bowl is full I carry it to the counter where I have spread a clean white dish towel. I place the eggs on the towel to air dry and repeat till all the eggs are clean. When the eggs are clean and dry I place them in clean cartons and return them to the refrigerator where they remain until sold, given away or used. I keep two dozen for our family's use. One dozen will be hard-cooked, the other is for daily use. Those sold or given away will be used within a week or two.

I would appreciate your feedback on this method.

Sounds like you have a flowing process that works well for you.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sounds like you have a flowing process that works well for you.

Thanks. Is there anything you would suggest changing?

 

[Huntmaster]

Thanks. Is there anything you would suggest changing?

Not if that works for you, don't see anything detrimental. Many do the same, me myself if I do wash, I don't use any cleaner's just a rinse with good warm water and dry quickly and always refrigerate after. That is just for eggs given away/sold if that is their preference. All others not washed never keep badly soiled eggs.