What do you do with hard-dried poopy eggs?

[Cryss]

I know I’m not supposed to wash it because that will take off the bloom.I’ve heard of using sandpaper but I know that can also remove the Bloom along with maybe even some of the eggshell itself. I’ve tried to wipe it off with a cloth but it doesn’t budge it’s hard cake. The bit I am able to pick off easily actually removes some color and bloom. I don’t want it contaminating my eggs. I just don’t know what the best thing is. I prefer to keep them on the counter for a few days before I decide to put them in the refrigerator for longer-term. If I am giving them away or selling them I wash them and put mineral oil on them so I’m not talking about the ones I am Going to sell or give away. These are the ones that will stay within the family so they are used to them not being washed until they are ready to use them. If it’s not poop then it’s pine shavings sticking because Marans eggs are always like glue.

 

[Weeg]

How clean are your nesting boxes? The cleaner the boxes the cleaner the egg, but I personally only clean about once a week so totally get the poopy egg issue.
If your the only one eating it, then taking off the bloom isn't going to bother you as you aren't worried about looks. It will influence how long the egg will last outside the fridge, but I would probably just eat that one sooner than the others.
Or, you could run hot water from your tap and rub it off like you would treat a pasty butt chick. Thats what I would do if I didn't want to remove the bloom.

 

[NatJ]

For those particular eggs I would wash them with water (warmer than the egg), dry them, put them in the fridge, use them as soon as conveniently possible, and cook thoroughly. Maybe mark them with a pencil by writing "dirty" and the date, to remind you which ones they are.

The reason for warmer water: cooling the egg makes the inside contract, which can suck bacteria in through the shell. You want the poop off before that happens.

The reason for refrigerating and for using as soon as possible: bacteria grow slower in cold temperatures (poopy eggs probably have more bacteria than other eggs.) Also, washing off the bloom reduces how well it will keep.

 

[Cryss]

How clean are your nesting boxes? The cleaner the boxes the cleaner the egg, but I personally only clean about once a week so totally get the poopy egg issue.

I clean everyday. Hubby n I hang out in the coop with the ladies often so we like it a bit tidy. I swear I take better care of the coop than my house! LOL! It’s pretty rare to get a poopy egg but it happens. What I do get are the Marans eggs with bedding stuck. It’s amazing how sticky Marans eggs are!

For those particular eggs I would wash them with water (warmer than the egg), dry them, put them in the fridge, use them as soon as conveniently possible, and cook thoroughly. Maybe mark them with a pencil by writing "dirty" and the date, to remind you which ones they are.

The reason for warmer water: cooling the egg makes the inside contract, which can suck bacteria in through the shell. You want the poop off before that happens.

The reason for refrigerating and for using as soon as possible: bacteria grow slower in cold temperatures (poopy eggs probably have more bacteria than other eggs.) Also, washing off the bloom reduces how well it will keep.

Yeah I don’t like removing the bloom. Good advice to use them first. Thanks!

 

[NatJ]

Yeah I don’t like removing the bloom. Good advice to use them first. Thanks!

Removing the bloom isn't a big deal, if you are going to keep the eggs in the fridge and use them in a timely fashion. It matters a bit more if you want to store them at room temperature, or if you want to store them a long time.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Wash with warm water, use a "buff puff" or similar as a mild abrasive to help remove the offending stuff. Accept that the bloom is going away. Dip briefly in (again, warm water 100-105 degrees) bleach solution of between 50 and 200 ppm, air dry, and immediately refrigerate. Keeps a couple weeks. So says the FDA.

When you are done, throw your buff puff in the bleach water solution. Leave it there till next time, when you want to start all over - rinse the buff buff in running water while it warms up (105 degrees is again your target), make your fresh bleach solution, clean your eggs, dip, air dry, refrigerate.

Four times a day for me, on average.

 

[Cryss]

My eggs are unwashed on the counter about 5 days or so. Then into the fridge. Any that make it to about 2 weeks I wash, hard boil, peel, and pickle. I’ve kept some long term in the past by washing and coating with very thin layer of mineral oil and refrigerate. I’m just getting comfortable with not refrigerating so also getting comfortable with not washing. Go figure. Hubby is English, grew up in England. He laughs at me. LOL

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My eggs are unwashed on the counter about 5 days or so. Then into the fridge. Any that make it to about 2 weeks I wash, hard boil, peel, and pickle. I’ve kept some long term in the past by washing and coating with very thin layer of mineral oil and refrigerate. I’m just getting comfortable with not refrigerating so also getting comfortable with not washing. Go figure. Hubby is English, grew up in England. He laughs at me. LOL

I understand. What we have to do to shell eggs in the US to sell for human consumption makes the unfit in the EU. Likewise, the way the EU treats its shell eggs, if they were to be sold in that condition here. In both cases, "top men" looked at the science, balanced risks, and came to conclusions - differing, contrary conclusions, but conclusions none the less based on science and trying to minimize the risks of food borne pathogens in the human food supply. One might also observe that the US adopted widespread refrigeration long before Europe did, and were much less set in our culinary traditions.

Which is why those of us who pretend we can cook get our eggs out and leave them to warm on the counter (or in a glass of warm water) before making any French sauce or batter involving eggs. The recipe doesn't work as well cold.

 

[Weeg]

I clean everyday. Hubby n I hang out in the coop with the ladies often so we like it a bit tidy. I swear I take better care of the coop than my house! LOL! It’s pretty rare to get a poopy egg but it happens. What I do get are the Marans eggs with bedding stuck. It’s amazing how sticky Marans eggs are!

So sticky! Even the day after I clean my coop I find poopy eggs. They definitely happen, no doubt about it. The ladies love to go out of their way to make egg collecting harder on us! Lol!

 

[MountainWoman73]

I know I’m not supposed to wash it because that will take off the bloom.I’ve heard of using sandpaper but I know that can also remove the Bloom along with maybe even some of the eggshell itself. I’ve tried to wipe it off with a cloth but it doesn’t budge it’s hard cake. The bit I am able to pick off easily actually removes some color and bloom. I don’t want it contaminating my eggs. I just don’t know what the best thing is. I prefer to keep them on the counter for a few days before I decide to put them in the refrigerator for longer-term. If I am giving them away or selling them I wash them and put mineral oil on them so I’m not talking about the ones I am Going to sell or give away. These are the ones that will stay within the family so they are used to them not being washed until they are ready to use them. If it’s not poop then it’s pine shavings sticking because Marans eggs are always like glue.
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I separate out the dirty ones and store them as-is. I wash them before I crack them, but only just before.