We got our first egg today! In the nest box even! We're thrilled, and it reminded me that I wanted to ask this question. Seems I recall on another forum some time ago the subject came up about storing eggs and some folks advocated *not* refrigerating them. This seemed counter-intuitive to me but they swore it worked and the eggs lasted longer. Does anyone here do this or recommend it?

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), September 10, 2001

Answers

I've been collecting poultry raising books published from 1918 up through the present day and they all say the same thing about maintaining quality of storage eggs and that is to keep them in as cool an environment as possible short of them actually freezing. A high humidity level helps too if you can deter mold while you're at it. This agrees with my own experience. You can waterglass your eggs, oil or wax them, store in lime water and so on and so on but I've yet to read of a method that will maintain the quality of the egg as well as simple refrigeration.

One thing that I do agree with is not washing the eggs if you can help it. The natural bloom the hen deposits on the egg as it is laid can have a major effect on its storage ability. I only wash our eggs if they're dirty and I always do this in water higher in temperature than the egg and promptly refrigerate them.

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

To expand on the washing of eggs: It is important to wash in warm water. Eggs shells are porous and can draw germs from the outside of the shell to the inside through the process of osmosis. I remember reading or hearing that this mostly happens in the direction of cold to warm. As the cold water works to cool the inside of the egg, the germs are drawn in. Rinsing in warm water reverses the effect. My thinking is that the eggs need to be reasonably clean before refrigeration for the same reason. I wash them by hand under warm running water using antibacterial hand soap and then let them dry before placing in cartons and the refer. I have done it this way for four years with no ill effect.

-- Skip in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), September 10, 2001.

How many laying hens do you have? Is there enough that you could sell the extras? I have 12 layers and just about the time I get about 5 or 6 dozen eggs stored 2 or 3 people will come by and buy all that I have. So storage hasn't been a problem to me. I just put all mine down on the bottom of my frige.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 10, 2001.

Thanks for the answers, I figured the fridge was best but didn't know about not washing or using warm water. We've got 11 hens so we'll need to get our cold storage in order here shortly.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), September 10, 2001.

Hello Susan, Meli and I had the same deliema that many people rasing chickens for the first time have...what to do with the extra eggs! We sell a few as an example but, what we like to do best with them is pickle them. Meli pickles them in canning jars using vinegar and pickling spice. Even if the jars do not seal, they still stay fresh since the vinegar creates a bacteria free enviroment inside the jar. Another thing that we do is to mix up the eggs and freeze them inside freezer containers. Whenever we have overnight guest staying for breakfast or we want to make a quiche, we just pull out a freezer container of mixed up eggs and use them. One freezer container will hold a dozen eggs and that will usually take care of a large breakfast or two quiches. Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.

I also freeze extra eggs. This way in the winter when the chickens aren't laying as well we always have eggs. I use cool whip bowls (friends and relatives save them for me) I put 8 eggs in the bowl and beat them up. Some people add salt but I don't. These I can thaw out for scrambled eggs, or omelets. I also use small bowls and freeze three eggs in them. These I use for cakes as most of my recipes use 3 eggs.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), September 11, 2001.

Aakk! Please don't wash your eggs before storing them! hot or cold h20 will only remove the natual seal on the eggs exterior, eggs breathe even w/ the seal intact, but the flushing action of the water will possibly open the pores larger or push in the bacteria after the seal/membrane/bloom is stripped. Hatcheries & home ec books say to only dry wipe an egg before storage, loofa sponges are the professionals' choice. you can wash the egg right before use w/ no side effects if unwashed makes you nervous. salmonela is nothing to play w/. if a yolk breaks when i crack open an egg [& i did not pierce it on the shell edge], i toss it & make the pigs happy. weak yolks are a sign of bacteria digesting the egg, long before the trademark 'rotten egg' sulfur smell begins. lots of people don't get food poisioned from infected food, you develop a resistance to many of the bacterium, but a guest,customer or immune system that is weak will run a higher risk of a dangerous attack.

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), September 11, 2001.

I know folks who keep their eggs on the counter for up to 2 weeks. I've always stuck mine in the fridge. I rarely have to clean anything off of the, since the hens keep the nest boxes clean. If something's on them, I just rinse it off under the tap with my hands. They stay fresh for several months.

If in doubt of the freshness, put the eggs in a deep bowl or pan, fill with water at least an inch higher than the eggs. Fresh eggs will lay on the bottom of the bowl. If the eggs float, throw them out!

Many times when I've decided to hatch eggs. I just take them out of the fridge, put them on the counter until they warm up to room temperature, and then put them under a hen.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), September 13, 2001.