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Unlike commercial eggs, farm fresh eggs do not require washing.
About the egg:
When a farm fresh egg is laid, it is covered with a protective covering called a bloom. The bloom keeps any bacteria from crossing through the shell into the egg. The bloom also helps the egg stay fresh for a while. Once the bloom is removed the egg shell becomes porous and bacteria can now cross through the shell.
Sometimes though your egg may need to be washed. A piece of manure or mud can get stuck or smeared on the egg.
Here are some simple steps to follow if you wash your eggs:
- Try to first wipe off the manure or mud with a dry washcloth. You can also rub the egg, gently, with a piece of ultra-fine sand paper. Once you have used the sand paper, do not wash your eggs as sanding does remove the bloom.
- If the dry wash cloth does not work, you can wash your egg in very warm water only. The water needs to be at least 20 degrees warmer than the egg. Do not use cold water as the cold temperature will create a vacuum inside the egg that allows bacteria to cross through the shell. Be sure to clean one egg at time.
- Do not use any detergents or chemicals to clean your eggs. These items can make your eggs more porous allowing making them more susceptible to bacteria.
- Do not soak in water as the soaking will allow any bacteria to pass through the shell, especially after the water has cooled.
- Be sure to dry off your eggs before placing them in carton. Never place wet eggs in a carton.
- Once an egg is washed though it has to be refrigerated.
If you have eggs that are really dirty, I recommend just cooking them up for your chickens. It’s the same for any eggs that are cracked. Cracked eggs can also just be thrown away. You can also take the shells, wash them, and then dry them in the oven. Once done, crush up and offer to your chickens just like you would oyster shells. It does stink to waste an egg because of manure or mud but the chickens love them.
It is best not to wash your eggs so the bloom stays intact. If you must wash your eggs, be sure to know how to properly wash farm fresh eggs to minimize any risks.
