What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

The OH seems to think that eggs are unhygenic because they come out of the 'underchicken' part of the chicken and that they need to be washed.

 

Does anyone wash their eggs or clean them any other way? He does keep going on about it.

 

Thanks!

Anna x

[quickcluck]

As far as I am aware you shouldn't wash the eggs as the shells are porous and it would affect them I just pick any shredded paper off mine and wipe them with a dry piece of kitchen roll if needed!!

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

That's what I told him to do, but he's a theoretical clean freak (meaning if he applied the same attitude to cleaning the house, I'd be delighted!). He thinks they need washing. I have hidden the bleach as a precaution!

[Sandychick]

I think washing them removes the natural protective coating that keeps them fresh and stops them going off. I don't think they need cleaning - I'm assuming he not going to eat the shells

[Steve.]

If it's *covered* in poo I get the worst off with a bit of paper towel, wash with warm water, and use the same day (or crack the egg into a container and pop in the fridge).

[Snowy]

When the egg is new laid, it is covered in a wet substance - it dries almost instantly and gives the shell a protective coating. As said above, washing removes this coating and allows bacteria to penetrate the shell. I don't think supermarket eggs are cleaned, although you can buy special solutions for cleaning eggs. If you do have to wash them, use water hotter than the egg (cold water causes the contents to contract and pull bacteria into the shell).

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Gosh Snowy, that's Tomorrow's World-tastic. Really interesting info, and one in the OH's hygiene theory. Gulp. He's bacteria-ising the eggs!

 

Anna x

[Egluntyne]

If you do wash them, surprisingly, you should use warm water as not cold, as cold water causes he contents of the egg to shrink away from the inside of the porous shell, enabling bacteria to enter.

 

Don't soak eggs in water...a quick dip and dry is best.

 

To help avoid dirty eggs, gather them twice daily and tidy the nest box daily. Change the nesting material completely at least weekly.

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

He says he has well and truly been told and all this washing nonsense will stop. Thank goodness. It just helps for him to see other people saying it too as well as me. Thanks all!

 

Anna x

[RubyReckless]

WRT supermarket eggs, the Defra site says that Class A eggs must not be washed as they are to come from a clean environment in the first place (not chook friendly, but clean, ho hum!)but Class B eggs can be washed.

 

When my dad worked on a farm as a kid 50 years ago, all the eggs were washed.

 

I have to wipe the poo off the eggs with a paper towel most days, because I've one hen who insists on sleeping in the nest box and she always soils it. I tried keeping a plantpot or ball in the nestbox, but when i came to remove it in each morning there was a crushed egg on the roosting bars. I figured an egg I wipe with paper towel is the better than no egg at all!

 

Anna, your OH made me laugh. Suggest he re-channel all that cleanliness to the bathroom or the laundry, perhaps?

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Trying, Ruby! Any tips on THAT would be appreciated too!

[likeastar--x]

my sister found my chickens first egg and immidiatly washed it under the cold tap so we couldnt use it apparently it lets in bacteria and theres a risk of salmonella?