The Tale of the Very First and Sort of Poopie Egg

It was another exciting day for us! Our chicken, Sunshine, has just started laying eggs! With the unusually warm weather, she started laying this week. We weren't expecting her to lay until spring, since we opted against supplemental lighting to get her to lay during winter. I was able to get the girls' reaction on video this afternoon and am happy to share it with you. The egg we found today was not in the nesting box. We found it entrenched in a whole lot of poop! When Ara pulled it out, it was covered in some rather large gobs of poo. So it made me wonder: "What the heck do we do with a poop-covered egg?" I found a stellar site from Colorado State University Extensionthat explains in detail what to do. Here is an excerpt from their site that succinctly addresses our questions:

Caring for the Eggs

Collect the eggs often. Eggs that spend more time in the nest have an increased chance of becoming dirty, broken, or lower in quality. Collecting eggs at least twice daily is recommended, preferably before noon. Consider a third collection in late afternoon or early evening, especially in hot or cold weather. Coated wire baskets or plastic egg flats are good containers for collecting eggs. Discard eggs with broken or cracked shells.

Cleaning. Dirty eggs can be a health hazard. Eggs with dirt and debris can be cleaned with fine sandpaper, a brush, or emery cloth. If eggs need to be washed, the temperature of the water should be at least 20F warmer than the egg. This will prevent the egg contents from contracting and producing a vacuum. It will also prevent microscopic bacteria from being pulled by vacuum through the pores of the egg. A mild, non-foaming, unscented detergent approved for washing eggs can be used. A dishwashing liquid that is free of scents and dyes is acceptable. Eggs can be sanitized by dipping in a solution of 1 tablespoon household bleach to 1 gallon of water before storage. Dry eggs before storing because moisture may enter the shell pores as eggs cool on refrigeration.

Storage. Store eggs in the main section of the refrigerator at 35F to 40F; the shelves in the door tend to be warmer than interior shelves. If collected and stored properly, eggs can have a safe shelf life of greater than three weeks. Date the storage carton or container and use older eggs first. If you have more eggs than you can use, you can break them out of their shells and freeze them. Only freeze fresh eggs. Beat until just blended, pour into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of eggs and the date. Add a small amount of salt, sugar, or corn syrup to prevent gelling and improve the keeping quality of the eggs. It’s a good idea to note any additional ingredients on the freezer container. The whites and yolks may also be frozen separately.

Preparation. Never eat eggs raw. Undercooked egg whites and yolks have been associated with outbreaks of Salmonella enteritidis infections. To prevent illness from bacteria, cook eggs until yolks are firm and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly to 160F. Use a food thermometer to be sure. Do not keep cooked or raw eggs at room temperature for more than two hours.

Here's the link to a wonderful two-page fact sheet (in PDF format) that you can print for an excellent reference: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09377.pdf

Here's another interesting blog post that I found with some great information on cleaning eggs:
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2011/10/eggs-to-wash-or-not-to-wash.html
I'm not a big fan of bleach, so I'll be skipping that option for cleaning soiled eggs.

I hope you find this post helpful in answering questions you may have about cleaning, storage and preparation of eggs.