Watery eggs

[Annasg]

One of my customers has complained of watery eggs and I am wondering if anyone knows what causes this? I have 6 RIRs. I don't wash the eggs before selling them (unless they really need it) and have explained to my customers that by not washing them, they will last longer. She, in turn, has told me that she does not wash the eggs before cooking them(which I have a hard time even imagining). What would cause the eggs to contain water? She says she breaks her eggs directly into a skillet to cook them but says there is water in them. I can say that sometimes the eggs are as much as a couple weeks old when she gets them. Please help!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

She, in turn, has told me that she does not wash the eggs before cooking them(which I have a hard time even imagining).

I don't wash mine before cooking either.

Are they stored in the fridge or on the counter? Age of the layers? Super hot weather?

Has she taken any pictures? Eggs have a lot of water in them. But lots of things can effect the thickness. Check this link, and make sure your eggs are stored in the fridge because while they are safe to eat from the counter the QUALITY last longer in the fridge...
https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/egg-quality-handbook/30/watery-whites

Hope this is some useful information for ya!

 

[slordaz]

I have never seen water in eggs just the whites. unless ya leave em submerged in water. but maybe some of the more experienced have,

@oldhenlikesdogs
@casportpony
@Ridgerunner
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Annasg]

I don't wash mine before cooking either.

Are they stored in the fridge or on the counter? Age of the layers? Super hot weather?

Has she taken any pictures? Eggs have a lot of water in them. But lots of things can effect the thickness. Check this link, and make sure your eggs are stored in the fridge because while they are safe to eat from the counter the QUALITY last longer in the fridge...
https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/egg-quality-handbook/30/watery-whites

Hope this is some useful information for ya!

My girls are 2 yrs old and yes, I store the eggs on the counter. While we do have super hot weather, I keep my house so cool, sometimes I need a sweater.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My girls are 2 yrs old and yes, I store the eggs on the counter. While we do have super hot weather, I keep my house so cool, sometimes I need a sweater.

The really hot weather *can* effect the eggs before being laid causing them to be runnier.

Storing on the counter for two weeks... is very likely your issue. I would start storing in the fridge if possible... it makes a HUGE difference and we even eat eggs that are 6+ months old and STILL better than store bought.

When stored on the counter, for longer periods of time than say a week I have noticed thinner whites, easier to pop yolks and even weakened shells. None are an issue when stored pointy end down in the fridge. Sure eggs look beautiful on the counter. But even cool enough for a sweater is not the same as a constant 38 degrees of most fridges. Our house is so cool... I turn the heater UP to 58-60 in the winter. Store them long enough at room temp and the opposite happens... evaporation makes everything thick and gooey and sticking to the inside of the shell.

But the older the ladies the lower the haugh unit. 2 isn't that old yet.

I wish folks new the truth about egg storage and the impact it has on quality! When I was a kid they taught us that eggs stored at room temp AGE 7 times faster than those at fridge temp. While I'm not sure of the accuracy as to ratio... I am 100% sure that it is a fact.

I would LOVE to see you do an experiment with your new eggs and store some from the same day in the fridge and on the counter for maybe a week and then do a side by side comparison! But make it even more intriguing and do some for 2 weeks also!

I PROMISE... it makes a HUGE difference, according to my experience not hear say. And truly believe it can go a long way to keeping your patrons content.

ETA: one more egg quality issue link...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[Ridgerunner]

I suspect she is talking abut watery whites. This is what the Egg Quality Handbook has to say about them.

https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/egg-quality-handbook/30/watery-whites

The typical causes in our flocks is how long the eggs are stored, storage too hot or dry, how long in that laying cycle the hen has been laying (Time since molt or onset of lay for pullets), or the age of the hen laying the egg. When they first start laying pullets can sometimes have issues but they tend to clear it up pretty quickly. It's the really old hens that tend to have these problems. And, of course, one of your hens may not be put together right. The internal egg laying factory is pretty complicated and occasionally a hen just doesn't get some part quite right.

 

[Annasg]

The really hot weather *can* effect the eggs before being laid causing them to be runnier.

Storing on the counter for two weeks... is very likely your issue. I would start storing in the fridge if possible... it makes a HUGE difference and we even eat eggs that are 6+ months old and STILL better than store bought.

When stored on the counter, for longer periods of time than say a week I have noticed thinner whites, easier to pop yolks and even weakened shells. None are an issue when stored pointy end down in the fridge. Sure eggs look beautiful on the counter. But even cool enough for a sweater is not the same as a constant 38 degrees of most fridges. Our house is so cool... I turn the heater UP to 58-60 in the winter. Store them long enough at room temp and the opposite happens... evaporation makes everything thick and gooey and sticking to the inside of the shell.

But the older the ladies the lower the haugh unit. 2 isn't that old yet.

I wish folks new the truth about egg storage and the impact it has on quality! When I was a kid they taught us that eggs stored at room temp AGE 7 times faster than those at fridge temp. While I'm not sure of the accuracy as to ratio... I am 100% sure that it is a fact.

I would LOVE to see you do an experiment with your new eggs and store some from the same day in the fridge and on the counter for maybe a week and then do a side by side comparison! But make it even more intriguing and do some for 2 weeks also!

I PROMISE... it makes a HUGE difference, according to my experience not hear say. And truly believe it can go a long way to keeping your patrons content.

ETA: one more egg quality issue link...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Thank you so much. Very enlightening.