Egg container ideas

: > Friday I'm picking up a dozen (perhaps 2?) eggs from a farm. They recycle
: > their 'cardboard' containers, meaning that, I suppose, you put in the dirty
: > eggs in the carton and bring back the dirty carton. To me that means that
: > after a few trips, their will probably be a bit of barnyard on that egg
: > carton.

: If their eggs are dirty, they are not collecting eggs often enough,
: or aren't cleaning out the coops often enough. We collect eggs two or
: three times a day, and aside from a speck of straw on an occasional egg,
: we don't have dirt on them. This has been pretty universal among other
: chicken folks we know or talk to via the computer.

: Regards,
: Ranee

On a chicken, the egg-chute is the same as the [censored]-chute, so you WILL get
excrement on them occasionally. Also, a chicken can [censored] on the egg shortly
after it lays it. So it really doesn't matter how often the eggs are
collected or how often the coops are cleaned out. Most often the eggs
will be pretty clean, but occasionally you'll get one that's not.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

: > Friday I'm picking up a dozen (perhaps 2?) eggs from a farm. They
recycle
: > their 'cardboard' containers, meaning that, I suppose, you put in the
dirty
: > eggs in the carton and bring back the dirty carton. To me that means
that
: > after a few trips, their will probably be a bit of barnyard on that
egg
: > carton.

: If their eggs are dirty, they are not collecting eggs often enough,
: or aren't cleaning out the coops often enough. We collect eggs two or
: three times a day, and aside from a speck of straw on an occasional egg,
: we don't have dirt on them. This has been pretty universal among other
: chicken folks we know or talk to via the computer.

: Regards,
: Ranee

On a chicken, the egg-chute is the same as the [censored]-chute, so you WILL get
excrement on them occasionally. Also, a chicken can [censored] on the egg
shortly
after it lays it. So it really doesn't matter how often the eggs are
collected or how often the coops are cleaned out. Most often the eggs
will be pretty clean, but occasionally you'll get one that's not.

And I asume that the one that's been pooped on can 'e-coli' the rest in the
bucket?
Thanks.
Dee Dee

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

On a chicken, the egg-chute is the same as the [censored]-chute, so you WILL get
excrement on them occasionally. Also, a chicken can [censored] on the egg shortly
after it lays it. So it really doesn't matter how often the eggs are
collected or how often the coops are cleaned out. Most often the eggs
will be pretty clean, but occasionally you'll get one that's not.

Did you miss that we raise chickens and live in a rural area? I know
how eggs are laid. An occasional messy egg is not the same thing as
having to wash your eggs. The _only_ time we have gotten dirty eggs is
if we were gone for more than a day and couldn't collect eggs. The
poultry folks we learned from, both in person and online, and the books
we've read all concur that if you are getting dirty eggs, not an egg
with a small amount of [censored] or dirt on it, you are either not cleaning
the coop enough or not collecting enough. When chickens have enough
space, they are actually quite interested in remaining clean and keeping
their beds clean. Ours go out first thing in the morning and go to bed
in the coop after dark, and lay in the coop in nesting boxes. They are
racing out to do their [censored] of the morning when we let them out, and we
find surprisingly little in the nest boxes. Again, the only time we
find much in there is when we have to have them cooped up for a whole
day or more.

Regards,
Ranee

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"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

And I asume that the one that's been pooped on can 'e-coli' the rest in the
bucket?

I'd say yes, but to tell you the truth, I wouldn't try to give/sell a
dirty egg to someone who was going to eat them. On the very rare
occasions we've had dirty/cracked eggs, we don't eat them. We've had
one cracked egg and I think two or three dirty eggs in the past two and
a half weeks, all because of a trip we took when we couldn't find
someone to come let the chickens out in the a.m. and count them and lock
them in at night, so they were in the coop for a little over two days.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

I picked up my eggs Saturday. DH had compiled informatin on how to clean
eggs.
Needless-to-say, after reading all the things that shouldn't be done, I
certainly agree with you. I don't know how often the farm
worker/owner/manager does pickup their eggs, but the eggs were noticeably
clean with a speck of straw and didn't have dirt on them, as I had expected
and worried about. After reading the articles, I emailed her that I
preferred the eggs in the bucket that they have just gathered.

I put them in a cloth-lined basket when I picked them up; got them home and
rubbed them with a very soft-type-loofa (round 2-1/2"😉 that I can throw into
the dishwasher; and put them in a recyclable grey-cardboard egg carton. The
bigger ones must've been taken, because they fit into the carton. I didn't
buy 2 doz., so I don't have to stack them as usual. I will get a dozen a
week for the two of us and see if that will suit our needs.

You shouldn't have trouble if this is how they do things. Chances
are they either toss the dirty eggs, or just don't put them with the
stuff they are selling.

We first thought that eggs would come dirty, and we had seen eggs
that were really dirty and needed to be washed before you could eat them
at the home of a friend who had been getting eggs from a family in their
town, so we thought that was normal. The more research and exploring we
did, though, we found that good coop hygiene and being diligent about
collecting eggs avoids most dirt. When I first saw people posting
photos of their pristine eggs, I'd ask them if they were washed, and
they'd say no, that's how they look when we collect them. It was about
then I started to realize that consistently dirty eggs = lazy chicken
farmer.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

"Ranee Mueller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

I picked up my eggs Saturday. DH had compiled informatin on how to clean
eggs.
Needless-to-say, after reading all the things that shouldn't be done, I
certainly agree with you. I don't know how often the farm
worker/owner/manager does pickup their eggs, but the eggs were noticeably
clean with a speck of straw and didn't have dirt on them, as I had
expected
and worried about. After reading the articles, I emailed her that I
preferred the eggs in the bucket that they have just gathered.

I put them in a cloth-lined basket when I picked them up; got them home
and
rubbed them with a very soft-type-loofa (round 2-1/2"😉 that I can throw
into
the dishwasher; and put them in a recyclable grey-cardboard egg carton.
The
bigger ones must've been taken, because they fit into the carton. I
didn't
buy 2 doz., so I don't have to stack them as usual. I will get a dozen a
week for the two of us and see if that will suit our needs.

You shouldn't have trouble if this is how they do things. Chances
are they either toss the dirty eggs, or just don't put them with the
stuff they are selling.

We first thought that eggs would come dirty, and we had seen eggs
that were really dirty and needed to be washed before you could eat them
at the home of a friend who had been getting eggs from a family in their
town, so we thought that was normal. The more research and exploring we
did, though, we found that good coop hygiene and being diligent about
collecting eggs avoids most dirt. When I first saw people posting
photos of their pristine eggs, I'd ask them if they were washed, and
they'd say no, that's how they look when we collect them. It was about
then I started to realize that consistently dirty eggs = lazy chicken
farmer.

Regards,
Ranee

This Friday or Saturday when I pick up eggs I'm going to take a picture of
them.
I really don't want to wash eggs, as I've read the information about washing
eggs. I'd rather have the cleanest eggs possible without washing.
Thanks, Ranee.
Dee Dee

Dee Randall said:

And I asume that the one that's been pooped on can 'e-coli' the rest in the
bucket?
Thanks.
Dee Dee

There's E. coli on them anyway. E. Coli exists in the environment. If
the chicken has a strain of E. coli (or Salmonella, for that matter)
that can make humans sick, it is on the outside of the chicken as well
as the inside. Washing the eggs properly (with the right wash) will
kill the bacteria in sufficient numbers that they do not pose a threat
to humans, if the eggs are cooked sufficiently. Cooking the eggs is
the last line of defense.

-L.

In article <[email hidden]>,

-L. said:

Dee Randall said:

And I asume that the one that's been pooped on can 'e-coli' the rest in the
bucket?
Thanks.
Dee Dee

There's E. coli on them anyway. E. Coli exists in the environment. If
the chicken has a strain of E. coli (or Salmonella, for that matter)
that can make humans sick, it is on the outside of the chicken as well
as the inside. Washing the eggs properly (with the right wash) will
kill the bacteria in sufficient numbers that they do not pose a threat
to humans, if the eggs are cooked sufficiently. Cooking the eggs is
the last line of defense.

-L.

All commercial egg producers wash the eggs prior to packaging....

I'd wash any dirty eggs from my nests (occured during muddy weather no
matter what) or eggs that appeared clean would get washed in warm soapy
dish water right prior to cracking them.

Cracked eggs, clean or dirty, got fed back to the hens. The one time I
consumed a suspect egg, I got Salmonella.

Dad's eyesite is not as good as mine. :-( We were not amused...... but I
was on a raw egg kick at the time too so it's my own fault.

But, I've consumed hundreds of raw eggs over the last 30 years or so and
only gotten sick once.

I no longer have my own hens now tho', unfortunately.

Salmonella is a FAR higher risk than E. coli. Besides, E. coli is NORMAL
FLORA. It lives in your gut. It's a specific STRAIN of E. coli that is
pathogenic...... O157:H7

When we get bloody stools in Microbiology at work, we send them off to
the reference lab to check for that strain. To date, it's not been all
that common. Let's hope it stays that way. ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]"
-- Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
"-L." <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Cracked eggs, clean or dirty, got fed back to the hens. >

Peace!

Quoted message said:

Om

Thanks for your reply.

What next, mad chickens?
Dee Dee

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
"-L." <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Cracked eggs, clean or dirty, got fed back to the hens. >

Peace!

Quoted message said:

Om

Thanks for your reply.

What next, mad chickens?
Dee Dee

<snicker>
I think not.....

Basically, if I found a cracked egg in the nest, I'd toss it out into
the yard. The hens loved it. ;-)

I think my dad brought one into the house and missed the fact that it
was cracked. Sometimes eggs would get damaged during cleaning and I'd
generally use those.

I quit doing that after that incident. My ER co-pay is up to $100.00 now.
I can buy a lot of eggs for that... I was sick for 3 days before going
to the ER. Unable to keep anything down but water.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a [censored]"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

This Friday or Saturday when I pick up eggs I'm going to take a picture of
them.
I really don't want to wash eggs, as I've read the information about washing
eggs. I'd rather have the cleanest eggs possible without washing.
Thanks, Ranee.

Here's the deal, there is a "bloom" on the egg which protects the
contents, when you wash it, you remove that. However, if you have a
really dirty egg that you want to eat, you need to wash it. When you do
that, it makes it much easier for all the germs/gunk to get in the egg.
If it is just a little speck, you can wash it in cool water just before
using it, and be fine, but you don't want your egg sucking in all sorts
of germs and basically forcing the salmonella/e. coli/[censored]/etc into the
egg by washing it. It's better to toss a dirty egg, IMO. If you do
have an egg you want to use that requires washing, it is better to do so
just before using it, in cool water, so you have a better chance of
retaining the bloom and so it doesn't have the bacteria forced into it
and then sit in your fridge for however long incubating.

The reason the big agribusiness companies do it is that their eggs
have pretty much zero contact with the chickens once laid. The chickens
are crowded in cages all the time, and the egg is laid into a separate
compartment and rolls away. They sterilize them for appearance sake,
and because they are going to be in cartons and on trucks and in stores
for much longer than a farm egg is going to be. There isn't much that
that egg comes into contact with at all.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

"Ranee Mueller" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dee Randall said:

This Friday or Saturday when I pick up eggs I'm going to take a picture
of
them.
I really don't want to wash eggs, as I've read the information about
washing
eggs. I'd rather have the cleanest eggs possible without washing.
Thanks, Ranee.

Here's the deal, there is a "bloom" on the egg which protects the
contents, when you wash it, you remove that. However, if you have a
really dirty egg that you want to eat, you need to wash it.

DH is going to pick out the cleanest of the eggs in the bucket. It's tooooo
cold for me in that room! I'll be looking them over when he comes out of
the cooler.

After reading the compilation DH gave me of the various issues with washing
eggs, I think not washing them the best judgment.

When you do

Quoted message said:

that, it makes it much easier for all the germs/gunk to get in the egg.
If it is just a little speck, you can wash it in cool water just before
using it, and be fine, but you don't want your egg sucking in all sorts
of germs and basically forcing the salmonella/e. coli/[censored]/etc into the
egg by washing it. It's better to toss a dirty egg, IMO.

If you do

Quoted message said:

have an egg you want to use that requires washing, it is better to do so
just before using it, in cool water, so you have a better chance of
retaining the bloom and so it doesn't have the bacteria forced into it
and then sit in your fridge for however long incubating.

No, I won't wash them and put them back in the frig. I'm glad now the farm
lady doesn't wash them.

Quoted message said:

The reason the big agribusiness companies do it is that their eggs
have pretty much zero contact with the chickens once laid. The chickens
are crowded in cages all the time, and the egg is laid into a separate
compartment and rolls away. They sterilize them for appearance sake,
and because they are going to be in cartons and on trucks and in stores
for much longer than a farm egg is going to be. There isn't much that
that egg comes into contact with at all.

Regards,
Ranee

I'm sooo glad to be able to get away from the commercial eggs. I had one
nice egg this morning and it sufficed. The pans and plates don't stink
either; and I can sit at the table while DH is eating his overeasy eggs.
Thanks for all your advice, Ranee.
Dee Dee

OmManiPadmeOmelet said:

All commercial egg producers wash the eggs prior to packaging....

Actually, they let them soak for a bit in disinfectant. The eggs can
still look dirty, but the dirt is sterile.

Actually, they're /supposed/ to do that. Whether you think they do it
depends on your trust for someone who makes a profit of a farthing per
egg.

I figure most all of them know it's cheaper to do it than to pay the
fine, court costs, punitive damages, etc., later.

--Blair