Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[Mutt Farm]

NO!!!!! The egg has a natural shield from bacteria. Moisture causes the shell to suck external bacteria into the egg. Gimmie a sec, I'll find you some info.

We found our second egg to day! Not sure which hen laid it, but we have an idea. Question...are we supposed to wash the eggs? I saw this egg washer for sale on one of the sites and wondered if we're supposed to give the eggs some special sort of cleaning. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

We want to wash everything. It's counter-intuative to not wash an egg, but mother nature has it covered. This link should be useful. http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...e-best-way-to-wash-and-store-my-eggs-H62.aspx

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

NO!!!!! The egg has a natural shield from bacteria. Moisture causes the shell to suck external bacteria into the egg. Gimmie a sec, I'll find you some info.

that is eggclent information to know lol excuse my corny pun. I would have been soaking them in water.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Went out to do the water dishes so the morning is easier and found 2 new brown eggs in the young ones side! Has to be the Partridge rocks.

I do not wash mine until time of use unless there is a lot of mud or yuck on them. If I do wash any they go pronto into the fridge and get marked "use first".

If you do have to wash any make sure to use HOT water the hotter the better. It will make the inside expand while you are washing it and help keep bacteria out.

The eggs in the store have been washed and had oil applied to act as a protective layer.

 

[peastix]

Went out to do the water dishes so the morning is easier and found 2 new brown eggs in the young ones side! Has to be the Partridge rocks.

I do not wash mine until time of use unless there is a lot of mud or yuck on them. If I do wash any they go pronto into the fridge and get marked "use first".

If you do have to wash any make sure to use HOT water the hotter the better. It will make the inside expand while you are washing it and help keep bacteria out.

The eggs in the store have been washed and had oil applied to act as a protective layer.

The other alternative for poopy eggs is to scramble them and give back to chooks same if they are cracked.Interesting in NZ eggs are sold ''off the shelf'' not refrigerated. Don't think they wash them.I've never been sick from eggs[60 plus years]

 

[21hens-incharge]

They are truly an amazing food item. I do not keep mine in the fridge either. Store eggs here you have to since they wash the bloom off them and they also tend to be a month or more old BEFORE you buy them.

My dogs LOVE fresh scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, raw eggs lol pretty much any ole way too. I cook some up for the dogs every Sunday morning.

 

[peastix]

They are truly an amazing food item. I do not keep mine in the fridge either. Store eggs here you have to since they wash the bloom off them and they also tend to be a month or more old BEFORE you buy them.

My dogs LOVE fresh scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, raw eggs lol pretty much any ole way too. I cook some up for the dogs every Sunday morning.

I LOVE eggs too any which way too and now I have chooks can have them every day if I want. Have re-introduced DH to boiled eggs with ''soldiers'' [fingers of toast to dip in egg yolk].Back to his childhood LOL.

 

[Calima]

We've got our first egg this morning.....noticed yesterday that one of our girls had made a nice little nest.....and this morning she came out of the coop for a pick at the grain but wasn't around a little later, found her on her nest so left her in peace. Later when I took down the vege scraps, there were 10 hens out so I checked the nesting box ......and there, beautifully clean and warm was a lovely egg..... I'm so proud to have our first and that our girls like their coop enough to return to it to lay. You hear all the horror stories of free ranging chooks laying everywhere and anywhere except in the egg boxes. Let's hope that they are all as good when they start laying. The basket was a special gift from friends down the road. Gary said I had a special bright basket to collect my eggs in.

Congrats! It's an amazing feeling isn't it?

 

[Diney]

Still waiting, but worried that they aren't going to use the coop. They free range all day and only come back to their run during the day to get a drink and don't usually go into the coop. All this worrying is driving me crazy.

 

[Cindi1972]

Doesn't it drive you crazy though? hahaaa... I'v moved my nesting boxes three times because I'm trying to determine what the girls would prefer. hahaaa And for the last week, I'm like... "it's any day... it's any day now." Good God!!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

The waiting is the hardest part. If I have pullets that lay in the coop in a corner but not in the box I move the box to the corner. I also do not let new chickens free range UNTIL after they are regularly using the nest box. That way they are already geared into using it.