How to Clean Farm Eggs

HOW TO CLEAN FARM EGGS- First step to cleaning fresh chicken eggs is to be proactive, keep the nest box clean and you will save yourself from having to scrub them down too much. Chickens love scratching with their feet and sometimes if the laying nest gets too dirty than particles can get stuck to the egg and it is a mess to clean up. Some of the best things to use in a hen box is wood shavings or straw. Chickens generally sleep on their perch so the nest box if kept clean should stay clean as it will be mainly for laying. Now to wash eggs everyone has different solutions, some buy a chicken wash from hatcheries or farm stores, some use a light bleach solution with warm water, vinegar and water, some use soap and others just running warm water. Eggs are an amazing creation, they have a natural outer layer called a cuticle that acts as a barrier from keeping bacteria out. As hard as this barrier works against the bacteria the egg also has over 1700 pores on it. When an egg gets cold the contents inside (the egg itself) will shrink, when this happens a vacuum suction happens pulling everything closer together inside and away from the wall of the shell, this also pulls in bacteria from the outside. If an egg is laid in dirty nests or left out in the cold too long they could be at risk for this to happen through a gas form. That being said, as long as you are not harsh with the egg and treat it with care whether you use a touch of soap or just plain old warm water it will work to clean. It's really on your preference of what you like to use. Remember to refresh your water if you are washing multiple eggs at a time to keep dirt away as best you can, washing under running water may aid in this so as to not soak the eggs in the water that could be contaminated from one egg to the next. Use a clean cloth to wash away the remnants of the egg and set the eggs on a clean tea towel to dry ( putting them in the carton wet will make them stick and break when you reach for one in the fridge) keep eggs refrigerated and they will be good for weeks to come.