This article will cover everything you need to know about collecting and storing chicken eggs.
As I’ve said many times, there’s so much to like about keeping chickens. They have such cheerful personalities and are always so happy to see you when you visit them. They come when you call them. You can’t help but be cheered up when visiting your flock.
Clearly, one of the main benefits to having backyard chickens is the eggs. People usually say this is the reason they decided to get chickens. It’s true that the eggs are much tastier and fresher than any you can get in a store. The yolks are so much brighter and better for baking, too.
So, what is the best way for collecting and storing chicken eggs?
Collecting Chicken Eggs
Hens lay about an egg a day, assuming they aren’t broody or molting or elderly. You should collect your eggs every day if possible. Be aware that chickens don’t always lay their eggs before sunrise like you see in movies. When farmers collect eggs early in the morning, that’s probably the previous day’s eggs.
That said, it is best to collect the eggs as soon as possible after they’ve been laid, if only to protect against predation (if you have an open coop door). Hens like to announce that they’ve laid an egg, so listening for squawks will clue you in when there’s a new egg. But it is generally safe to collect them all at once in the afternoon. If you have more than 3 hens, you can use a basket or sling to gently hold the eggs.
If you can’t collect the eggs for a few days, it should be fine from a health and safety perspective, assuming there is not a heat wave, and that there is no egg pecking in your flock. Usually the chickens will just climb into the nest and gently lay new eggs right on top of the previous ones. However we always recommend that eggs which have sat longer in the coop should be fully cooked to be on the safe side.
The only potential issue if you don’t collect eggs for a few days is if the chickens accidentally break an egg. The primary worry is a messy nesting box. But there’s also the possibility that your chickens may develop a taste for raw eggs. If this happens, your chickens could intentionally destroy future eggs in order to eat them. That’s a terrible habit which will deprive you of your coveted eggs.
Always discard cracked or pecked eggs where the shell has been broken. Bacteria could enter through the crack and the bloom can’t protect it. If you provide oyster shell or another calcium supplement to your hens, this will increase the development of strong eggshells.
Cleaning Chicken Eggs
First of all, don’t wash your eggs if you can help it. Nature is pretty amazing. There is a natural coating (called the ‘bloom’) on fresh backyard eggs that protects the inside of the egg from spoiling. This natural microscopic coating on the egg seals the porous shell and is enough to protect them for storage without the need for refrigeration. This natural seal keeps bacteria out.
Sometimes the bedding material inside your nesting boxes will stick to the egg. This is harmless. If this happens, you can just brush the bedding off prior to storage.
The American attitude toward chicken eggs is that if they aren’t washed they won’t be healthy. But, backyard chicken eggs typically do not have exposure to the bacteria that might be more symptomatic of a large production facility.
If we look to Europe, eggs are often sold at grocery stores and markets without refrigeration.
If there is any chicken manure on the eggs, you should scrape it off with a dry butter knife or other implement. Bacteria could penetrate through the porous shell, and water increases the ability for the bacteria to pass through the shell. Keeping a clean chicken coop will decrease the likelihood that a hen will have poop on her foot when she gets into the nesting box, though never foolproof.
If you have to wash your eggs, then they do require refrigeration because the protective coating will be removed. Even just a little bit of water is enough to remove the coating.
When washing eggs, try to do so quickly and use water that is room temperature, or close to the same temperature as the egg. Dry the egg prior to putting them in the refrigerator. Placing them in a sealed container will extend their shelf life.
Storing Chicken Eggs
Unwashed backyard chicken eggs can remain fresh on the counter for about a month at room temperature. If you are experience an egg boom, you may want to store those unwashed eggs in the fridge, because they will keep longer (up to 6 months). Keeping them in a sealed container extends their life.
Keep in mind that older egg yolks are more fragile and may separate from the white. They will break when frying. And, they are not great candidates for deviled eggs, because the yolk will not be centered and there is no ‘cup’ in the halved hard boiled egg.
Again, make sure not to get the egg wet or you’ll wash away the protective coating. Also, do not write on the egg with marker, as the eggshell is very porous and not only will the marker wipe the protective coating, but the toxic ink will penetrate the shell.
If you want to write the date of storage on your egg, you can get edible ink markers. Then you can always be certain how long the egg has been on your counter or in your fridge.
