Broken eggs in nest are the other eggs coated in yolk safe to eat?

RaesChicks

Songster
Sep 11, 2023
132
120
118
Southeastern US
I have 4 nests for my hens, but they seem to pick one and fight over it. This leads to broken eggs. Especially recently as my hens keep trying to go broody. When they break an egg it coats all the other eggs in the nest making them orange and shiny. Knowing that if the protective coating gets wet on an egg bacteria gets it, I have been throwing out these eggs. Sometimes as many as 8 at a time. My husband says they are still edible. Is he right? Should I keep tossing the contaminated eggs? I have 11 I gathered yesterday meaning to wash since the egg was still wet in the nest but I got busy with other chores and forgot. Should I wash and refrigerate them or just throw them out?

Also aside from cameras and isolating my broody hens without a nest, is there any way to secure my eggs? I collect in the afternoons since they only lay two to three first thing in the morning. Cleaning the nests so frequently and only collecting 1-2 dozen edible eggs a week from my 12 hens is not cost effective. My family members and friends all rely on me for eggs and I can’t supply them right now. Super frustrating.
 
When this happens to me, I usually wash the soiled eggs and refrigerate. Normally I don’t wash eggs, I just store them on the kitchen counter. I toss excessively dirty ones, or ones that I’m not sure when it got laid (candle first, can usually tell if new or old). Sometimes it just depends on how much they are laying vs. how much we are eating or if a neighbor wants eggs.
But if you know the eggs were recently laid, they would still be safe to eat.
You could also save those for yourself and give the non-soiled ones to friends and family, if it makes you feel better.
 
My husband says they are still edible. Is he right?
Yes, hes’s right.
Just wash them with lukewarm water and keep the eggs refrigerated until you eat them.

In the meantime I would try t adress the problem.
Tips:
Lay a fake egg in the not-favourite nestboxes.
Give more calcium (return eggshells, give layer feed, oyster shell, calcium tablets for a week…) if the scale is rather weak.
 
I would wash, refrigerate, and place them at the head of the line to use first.

Only way of getting eggs out of harm's way from breakage would be a rollaway nest. Or you can try more frequent checking and picking up of eggs (like 2-3 times a day, if you're currently doing it once a day).

I'd also check the condition of the eggs that are broken. Are the shells thin?
 
I would wash, refrigerate, and place them at the head of the line to use first.

Only way of getting eggs out of harm's way from breakage would be a rollaway nest. Or you can try more frequent checking and picking up of eggs (like 2-3 times a day, if you're currently doing it once a day).

I'd also check the condition of the eggs that are broken. Are the shells thin?
I’ve found that I have one austrolorp laying incredibly thin eggs, just washing them in water they break in my hand I’ll pick up oyster shell in addition to the feed that’s fortified
 
I’ve found that I have one austrolorp laying incredibly thin eggs, just washing them in water they break in my hand I’ll pick up oyster shell in addition to the feed that’s fortified
If you know which specific bird it is, and oyster shell doesn't make a difference in let's say 7-10 days, then I'd consider supplementing her directly with calcium citrate tablets for about that period of time to see if calcium deficiency is the issue, or if it's something else.
 


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