We have eggs!!

Our chickens are just over 4 months old now and have finally started producing eggs! We are averaging about 2 eggs per day right now and almost have our first dozen eggs! I can't wait to make some fresh eggs for breakfast. Yummy!!

Now that we have eggs, I have been doing some research on the best way to care/store them. The nice thing is that fresh eggs are obviously going to last much longer than any store bought eggs. I learned that producers of store bought eggs have 30 days from the time the eggs are laid to get them into the stores. From there, they store has another 30 days to sell the eggs. After that, the USDA recommends the consumer only keep them for 5 weeks in the refrigerator before throwing them out.  That's a really long time! One source of information put it this way, you can be eating an egg in April that was laid on Christmas! That's crazy to think it could last that long! Long story short, in the proper conditions, eggs can last a really long time.

To wash or not to wash? Many people want to wash the fresh eggs since they may be a little dirty if the nesting box is dirty. Eggs have a protective, anti-bacterial coating on them called the "bloom". If you wash the eggs, you will also be washing this away which can lead to bacteria getting into your egg as well as moisture loss. If you do prefer to wash your eggs, a dry method of brushing with a dry sponge/cloth is best. If you still prefer to use water to wash them, rinsing them in warm water is better than cold water. Washing them in cold water will cause the inside of the egg to shrink, which can then cause a suction and draw bacteria in through the shell. (Yes, egg shells are porous!) If you wash them in warm water, it can cause it to expand which can then make the contents to swell and will apply pressure then to the shell and help keep bacteria out. Many people like to keep their fresh eggs on the counter and that is perfectly fine! They will be fine on the counter for a month. Just know, that the quality will drop after 2 weeks. If your family is able to eat the eggs soon after they are laid, keeping them on the counter is perfectly fine. If you would like them to last longer, storing eggs in egg cartons in the refrigerator will help them to keep for the longest. Please note, that if you have washed your eggs, it is best to then keep them in the refrigerator since they do not have that "bloom" protection on them. You can also rinse them in warm water right before using them. Eggs that have not been washed can last in the refrigerator for about 3 months. If you washed your eggs, they can last in the refrigerator for about 2 months. If they have been washed, the quality will decrease faster than an unwashed egg.

Another thing I learned when researching, was that you are to store your eggs with the pointy end down. That then puts the little air sac at the top and is an additional step to take to help reduce moisture loss.