we just got our 1st egg, now what do i do? this is our 1st year having chickens

[cinporter]

So this is our 1st time raising chickens. We just got our 1 st egg and are very excited but, not sure what to do. We have 1 rooster and 5 hens, are we supposed to check somehow to see if the rooster fertalized? Do we just wash the egg and put in the fridge? It is a lot smaller than the eggs i would buy in the store but, i heard that the 1st couple of eggs will be small. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[sourland]

Better to rub clean than to wash. If you have a rooster, the eggs are very likely fertile. As long as they are not incubated, there will be no development. Yes, egg size will increase. Congratulations - get another one or two and make an omelet.

 

[Bratty477]

We keep our clean (unwashed) eggs on a cool counter but if we need to wash, we keep those in the refrigerator (since the protective bloom has been washed off). Otherwise, we wash just before use and have been enjoying them very much!! Our egg size varies depending on the breed that laid (for instance, our eggs from our Golden Sexlink are huge!) but I did notice that it was bigger than the first few batches as time went on. Congrats and enjoy!!

 

[sourland]

As Bratty suggests washed eggs should be refrigerated and used fairly rapidly as they are more prone to bacterial degradation.