Egg laid on bedding covered in poop...

[Carson213]

I have 23 hens. I have back roll outs. Today I found an egg laid in the coop literally covered in poop. Considering how many eggs we get...and the fact I have had food poisoning twice in my life...I just threw it in the garbage. Was that necessary? Was that a good call? It was laid today. I know it isn’t an old egg. I just figured “why even take a chance?”...

 

[rosemarythyme]

If it was that poop covered, I might've probably tossed it out as well. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Vickischics]

I've read on BYC that the hen lays a wet egg covered with a film called "Bloom" this protects the egg from harmful bacteria from entering ie; Samonella
Me, I would have washed the egg and then eaten it afterwards.
Oh well, now you know. I guess better safe than sorry.

 

[Carson213]

I've read on BYC that the hen lays a wet egg covered with a film called "Bloom" this protects the egg from harmful bacteria from entering ie; Samonella
Me, I would have washed the egg and then eaten it afterwards.
Oh well, now you know. I guess better safe than sorry.

when you say “washed“...do you mean washed with water or dry washed? i would rather not waste anything. if i found an egg in the run, i would have tossed it...but i know this egg was fresh in the coop today.

 

[aart]

Sometimes there's just too much poop on an egg to bother, especially if it's dried.
I don't eat run eggs either, especially if it has rained on it.

washed with water or dry washed?

Dry washing is not really cleaning.
If you're going to clean an egg, be thorough.

Eggs should be washed in 'water warmer than the egg'.
Simple physics, using colder water will cause the egg contents to contract, causing any 'germs' on exterior surface of egg shell to be pulled into the interior of egg thru the shell pores. Using warmer water will do the opposite.
I don't use any soap or other cleaning/sanitizing agent, just rotate in my hands to 'scrub' all surfaces area of egg shell. Then I air and towel dry before placing in the fridge.

 

[drinkoj]

I don't use any soap or other cleaning/sanitizing agent, just rotate in my hands to 'scrub' all surfaces area of egg shell. Then I air and towel dry before placing in the fridge.

Question: Should I/we put eggs in the fridge or will they be fine on the counter?

 

[Carson213]

Sometimes there's just too much poop on an egg to bother, especially if it's dried.
I don't eat run eggs either, especially if it has rained on it.


Dry washing is not really cleaning.
If you're going to clean an egg, be thorough.

Eggs should be washed in 'water warmer than the egg'.
Simple physics, using colder water will cause the egg contents to contract, causing any 'germs' on exterior surface of egg shell to be pulled into the interior of egg thru the shell pores. Using warmer water will do the opposite.
I don't use any soap or other cleaning/sanitizing agent, just rotate in my hands to 'scrub' all surfaces area of egg shell. Then I air and towel dry before placing in the fridge.

great info. when i have washed eggs i just used cold water. warmer than the egg makes 100% sense. do you typically wash an egg that needs to be washed before it goes in the fridge?

 

[aart]

Question: Should I/we put eggs in the fridge or will they be fine on the counter?

I leave mine on the counter, unless they've been washed then they go in the fridge.

 

[mcdze]

if theres more than just a very small spot or two i toss eggs .. thats alot of chickens, but ive found if the nest and area is kept clean and the birds arnt nervous or anxious almost all my eggs are spotless with maybe a couple of fuzzies stuck to them .. thats it .. but poop eggs .. no .. just no .. i would work on the setup and yeah any egg just squirted in the dirt was likely one that was 'holding it' and couldnt wait while the nest was occupied ...

 

[rosemarythyme]

great info. when i have washed eggs i just used cold water. warmer than the egg makes 100% sense. do you typically wash an egg that needs to be washed before it goes in the fridge?

If it's dirty enough to need washing, then I would wash before putting in front of the line in the fridge, so it gets used next. Thankfully that's an infrequent issue if your flock is pretty good about using nest boxes. I did have a pullet that used to poop a little on her eggs as they came out, but thankfully she grew out of that.