How To Wash Eggs

You might have at one time bought eggs from the nearest shop and found that others are soiled and even poop on the surfaces at large. You will wonder why the seller never washed them before selling them to you. However, cleaning eggs has been a heated debate for many groups of people at large. Even other poultry farmers lack the idea of whether they can wash eggs before storing them or not. Several people have always said that eggs need not wash, but experts have different opinions on this issue. The experts have come up with new ways of cleaning eggs without necessarily doing the usual washing at large. Herein, you will learn about two ways to wash eggs and a few tips poultry farmers should consider minimizing the need to wash eggs.

how to wash eggs

Methods Of Washing Eggs

The egg has a protective coat or shell that covers inner contents from all contaminating agents at large. The egg remains in pristine condition for few minutes when it is laid, making it impossible to grab it immediately when laid. The egg might fall on the chicken poop or even soiled when you wait for it to harden at large. The hen might also sometimes step on the egg and break it unknowingly. The york of the broken egg will contaminate other eggs in the nest at large. For this reason, you need to wash all dirty eggs in the nest before storing them.

Experts highlight two methods to wash eggs. They include;

  • The dry cleaning method
  • Wet cleaning method

The Dry Cleaning Method

Cleaning eggs is of great importance at large. The salmonella bacterium, for instance, is present in the shell of an egg. The bacterial shall infect you whenever you use the egg in raw form. Avoid all this from happening by dry washing your eggs before using or storing them. To dry clean an egg, you need either a sanding sponge or fine sandpaper. Water should not be used here to wash the egg. You will rub off all dirt on the surface of the egg until it gets clean.

Wet Washing Method

Sometimes other eggs in the nest get smeared with different things like yolk from broken eggs and even chicken feces. This makes them grimy, and the dry cleaning method might not work effectively. You can use water here but ensure you don’t use either cold or tepid one. Usage of cold water or immersing an egg in water leads to the suction of bacteria on the egg’s surface to inner content.

You can spray your dirty eggs with warm water. Use a clean and dry sponge or towel to wipe the surface until it is clean. Allow them to dry up for some time before you can store them.

We have learned the two ways you can use to wash your eggs clean before storing them. However, you should wash eggs only when you plan to store them or whenever you need to use them.

Tips To Minimize The Need For Washing Eggs

Unwashed eggs have a long shelf life compared to the ones you wash. For this reason, there is a need we avoid the habit of cleaning our eggs at large. There are few tips in place to minimize the need for cleaning eggs, below are a few of them;

Replace The Nesting Material Weekly

The beddings of your chicken should always stay clean to prevent the eggs from getting dirty. Make an inspection of the nests and if there are chicken droppings and other dirty objects, replace it with a cleaner one. Even if the nesting boxes are neat, you can still change it to avoid bacteria’s growth.

Ensure The Nests Well Feathered Using Clean Straw 

This ensures the eggs don’t accumulate any form of dirt on its surface once it’s laid. The nests are enough and well-sized to prevent cases of chickens over-crowding. This will prevent them from breaking the eggs that might splash yolk on other eggs in the nest.

Always Gather The Eggs Early Before They Get Dirty.

Since the hen will go out and come back, ensure you collect the eggs while they are out to prevent stepping them when they are back. You should also ensure that your chicken doesn’t sleep on eggs overnight after a long day out.

Proper Positioning Of The Nests

Positioning the laying boxes also is of great importance to keep the area clean. Ensure they are lower than the roosting area to prevent eggs from breaking and splash the yolk over others.

Maintain The Nests Clean

The nest boxes should remain clean all through for new arrivals. You should clean any form of mess that might be on the nest all through. Whether it is broken eggs, chicken feces, and anything else, ensure to remove it from the nest to leave it clean.

Ensure The Chicken Vent is Clean

Chickens with dirty vents might lay eggs covered with traces of feces on the shell at large. Dirty vents might be as a result of the food material the chicken feeds on. Continuous cases of dirty eggs due to a dirty vent might result from a bacterial infection. If the vent is dirty, use warm water and a dish wash to clean it. Place it in a basin with water, and lather the feathers thoroughly with soap. Rinse it in clean water and wipe it to dry.

Conclusion

Eggs are sources of excellent nutrients at large. They are a powerhouse to lutein and other essential nutrients for fighting diseases in the body. However, you should maintain your eggs clean before storage or usage. Salmonella bacterium and other bacteria grow on the surface of the eggs at large. If used in raw form, they can cause diseases at large. This is the reason they should be maintained clean all through before storage and before you use them. However, since washing them shortens its shelf life, you should minimize cleaning by incorporating the above tips. Wash your eggs always before storing and using them.

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