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[nin-chicken]

I know I shouldn't let my girls sleep in the nest box but I haven't got the heart to turf them out! The trouble is it means the eggs are sometimes a bit poo-ey. I've been giving them a little wipe or rinse with plain water but have recently discovered that I shouldn't be doing this as I am washing away a special protective layer. You can buy special egg wash but its quite pricey. Should I be using it? What do other people do?

[LolaLayla]

I clean mine just before I use them......when I get eggs that is

[Olly]

In theory, yes eggs should not be washed. In reality, sometimes they have to - I leave odd streaks of mud but sometimes the eggs are just so bad that I couldn't put them in the egg rack.

 

I just wipe with damp kitchen roll or (if very bad) wash in cool water. Mine are usually eaten or sold within a week of laying so I don't worry about the keeping properties. I've never had any complaints.

[nin-chicken]

Thank you both for your replies. I do exactly the same as you Olly, cleaning with wet kitchen roll or under the tap. Like you mine are probably all eaten within the week. I won't bother with the egg wash then!

Thanks again x

[kentuckyfried]

I thought if you do wash them then it needs to be warm water to stop the egg drawing in contaminants? That's what I have been told for washing hatching eggs prior to setting, so have always assumed that eating eggs need the same treatment if washing is necessary?

[Space Chick]

I damp one end of a tea-towel. Wipe the eggs with the damp end, dry them off with the dry end.

 

It's always worked fine for me

[LunaKiw1]

i also just do the 'damp kitchen roll' quick wipe - and that's just for cosmetic reasons when putting them in the

Eggskelter. I just make sure I'm careful when i break the shell - after all it's what's inside that you actually eat!

[Beantree]

Must be warm water if you wash eggs, otherwise contaminants enter through the shell Nin-chicken. Best not wash them really as you remove the protective sealant (which is just the lubricant the chicken creates, dried off) and reduce the storage life. Of course you don't want chicken poo on your kitchen surfaces though, so best discourage sleeping in the nest box by putting a plant pot in at night. Not very healthy for the chickens sleeping in such a small unventilated area, particularly in Summer.

 

It is illegal, under any circumstances, to wash eggs you sell.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Makes you wonder how supermarket eggs are so pristine if they're not allowed to be washed prior to sale . Surely nowadays most eggs are laid normally, ie not in some contraption in a cage, so they would be likely to have mud or poo on them?

[jasperaliceuk]

Hmm - good question - why are they so clean!

 

I bought that Nettex steriliser and egg wash spray to wash really grubby eggs - I've realised that most of the dirt these days is them just having wet feet rather than poo. So I tend to leave them until I need them then just run under the top and use. I think the spray is going to remove that protective layer but presumably disinfectant stops contamination.

 

Sue

[Beantree]

Better qualify my post and say eggs can't be washed for 'garden gate sales'. That is by an individual who has a few chickens (less than 50 layers I think?) and sells the eggs to anyone for consumption. What they do in the commercial world I don't know? Perhaps they wash and re-seal them with something sterilised? They are of course subject to a lot of hygiene regulation and inspection.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Ah, of course, that makes sense! I'll not be mentioning it to my colleagues at work though (although I think they'd rather I broke the law and wiped the poo/mud off their eggs ).

[Henergy]

I always leave them with dirt on then wash just before use

[chickencam]

Ours get wiped with warm water and kitchen roll if very grubby otherwise they are left au naturel. Really dirty ones get used in baking where they will be properly cooked.