My eco solution to rat problems

[NewbieChick95]

Hi all,

2 of my girls have laid their fist egg and being new to this have a couple of questions

When I use an egg or two, should I wash the shell before cracking them open?

2 of my three girls have laid, do I start to put out oyster grit now and do I still put out regular grit for them?

Thanks in anticipation.

Diana

[Beantree]

You can wash them if you like @NewbieChick95, to avoid dropping any mud or poo into your cooking, but if they are clean I wouldn't bother. I doubt we have needed to wash more than a dozen eggs in 15 years because we clean the coops out every day and check the nest boxes are clean as well. One thing you MUST NOT DO is wash the eggs and then store them. Washing removes the protective 'bloom' from the surface of the shell and allows bacteria to enter. Unwashed eggs can be kept for up to a month in the kitchen, but washed eggs must be kept in the fridge and consumed within three days.

Stored eggs do degrade to the extent that over 10 days old you can't hatch from them, so for maximum benefit over shop bought eggs consume them before that.

[NewbieChick95]

Thanks Beantree