How long can an egg sit in the coop and still be good?

[bendystar]

That's basically it- I found an egg while cleaning out the coop yesterday so I have no idea when it was laid. Is it safe to eat or should I throw it out? I usually gather at the end of the day, or whenever I see an egg or hear a big fuss coming from them. We only have 3 hens so we usually get 3 eggs a day and yesterday I only got one so I'm thinking it was from then. Any insight?

 

[emys]

Use the float test. If it floats it is no good. If it sinks right down tot he bottom, it is fine. Eggs stay fresh for weeks as long as they aren't being sat on by a hen or heated up to 100 degrees some other way.

 

[UrbanGrower]

If the bloom is still intact the egg can say good for weeks, just check it for damage. I would also eat it sooner.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bloom = months even.
In most parts of the world - like the tropics, you'll rarely find eggs at the grocer refrigerated. They're sitting on the shelf in the heat - but they aren't required to wash them like here so the bloom is intact.

In lieu of the float test, the smell test works too.

 

[bendystar]

Sorry- what's the bloom?

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Its a natural coating chickens put on the outside of the egg to protect it.

If you don't really need the egg then I would toss it. No sense getting sick. Especially if it's been warm where you are. Eggs kept in warm places do not last for weeks.

If you insist then crack it open into a bowl and check it that way.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Its a natural coating chickens put on the outside of the egg to protect it.

If you don't really need the egg then I would toss it. No sense getting sick. Especially if it's been warm where you are. Eggs kept in warm places do not last for weeks.

If you insist then crack it open into a bowl and check it that way.

Please define "warm".

My aunt kept her freshly laid eggs on her counter for as long as I can remember, no matter what the season was. She had 7 children and 50 hens. I doubt that the eggs stayed around for months, but the ones on the bottom of the basket were definately there for weeks. I think the only time she got to the bottom of the basket was in the winter when the hens stopped laying every day.

So I think that eggs do not require refridgeration...the US is the only country that DOES keep their eggs cool.

 

[midget_farms]

Left alone a hen will lay eggs for a week or more to collect a clutch before sitting on them.

In that time the egg goes into a suspended animation state - it doesn't develop or die - just kind of hangs out.

When the hen decides to sit on the eggs the temp jumps up to 99 or so. This is when the egg starts to develop.

So "warm" would mean warm enough to start development - anything from 80* & up - if the age is unknown I would inspect closely - maybe break into a bowl instead of the pan etc.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

a few references for thought

http://www.thegrainmillwf.com/dont-wash-those-eggs-yet
http://www.localforage.com/local_forage/2007/03/egg_safety_tips.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC377620/pdf/applmicro00001-0110.pdf

but here is a study conducted by Mother Earth News showing unwashed eggs can last for months regardless of the temperature.
Washing is the problem. It allows bacteria to enter.

I swear that in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, I buy unrefrigerated unwashed eggs of unknown age and never had a problem.

 

[DoloresRun]

Australia is another country that does not refrigerate eggs! When I first moved here I was shocked but after learning more about eggs.... Not so shocking anymore!

As far as I am concerned though, if you don't need to eat the egg then I would crack it, smell it to make sure it's ok and then scramble and feed it to your chickens! You can crumble the eggshell into it as well as an extra bit of calcium for them.

Not worth the risk I think (to eat it I mean)