Friday, September 21, 2012

Feathered Friend Friday

Welcome to our series "Feathered Friend Friday." Every Friday I write a post with interesting facts, photos, or funny stories about our chickens and guineas. If you need to catch up, you'll find all the Feathered Friend Friday posts here  

We've been getting lots of eggs around here since our new pullets started laying last month. Usually now we're collecting between six and eight eggs per day! We really don't eat eggs all that often, so it's hard for us to keep up with egg inventory.




When we were only getting three or four eggs a day, we'd put them in our egg crates in the fridge until we had enough to fill a carton for a friend or family member. Now we fill up cartons so fast, the eggs just go straight to the cartons and we keep some eggs for us to eat in the crates.


Sometimes our fridge is full of egg cartons, so recently I've been intrigued by the notion of keeping eggs out on the counter at room temperature. Important side note - this would only be for eggs that have never been refrigerated! When eggs are taken from the fridge to room temperature, they sweat and the protective coating on the egg (called the "bloom") dissolves, making it very easy for bacteria to enter eggs through the shells.

Of course the FDA advises against this, but I've heard chicken keepers say they keep eggs out at room temperature for up to three weeks! They definitely last longer in the fridge (I have eaten a four month old egg before and it still tasted great), but sometimes I do leave a few out on the counter. Especially if I know I'm going to be baking in the next few days, because it's always better to bake with room temperature ingredients.

Apparently around the world, especially in Europe, it's the norm to keep eggs at room temperature, and people rarely refrigerate their eggs. If we ate eggs that fast, I'd have no issues with keeping a big basket of eggs on the counter!

~Tammy

The Chicken Chick

16 comments:

  1. I love the multicoloured eggs your girls produce! I never (ever) put our eggs in the fridge and they keep very well, well over 3 weeks. In fact in the winter when our girls stop laying (cos they're old and not breed to lay 24/7) we manage to eek our their eggs for a couple of months, or maybe even 3? I will have to make a note of it next winter, it's spring here now so it's all go in the chook house! S:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that's amazing! I've never tried myself to see how long they last outside the fridge. Thanks for the knowledge!

      Today is the first day of fall here so my girls are winding down!

      Delete
  2. Great photos! You'll have to start a little farm stand before long to sell your excess eggs. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! We just might have to put a "fresh eggs" sign in our driveway!

      Delete
  3. Beautiful photos! Thanks for linking up at the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week! Hope to see you again next week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such pretty pictures! I eat SO many eggs, and my girls have yet to be able to keep up with me. But with 12 girls, we'll be having too many soon so I'll probably be using the store room to keep room temp eggs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you see Sally's comment above, in the cooler months you can store eggs at room temp for up to a couple months! If your store room stays cool you may be able to keep them in there for a while until you can eat them!

      Delete
  5. Interesting I have heard of this practice in Europe I guess it would work. Only one way to find out:) Love the coloured eggs. Great shots. B

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fooey on the USDA and FDA -- they are nosey nannies at times. Love your photos and this information. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, that's what I'm saying! :) Thanks for checking out the post, Nancy!

      Delete
  7. Think about it.....eons ago when there was no refrigerators....eggs were left out till used up. My grandmother had an ice box and it was so small by the time the big ole' block of ice was put in she had precious space for things and usually it had fresh milk, buttermilk, fresh butter and meat, don't remember eggs being in there and she was a fabulous cook and housekeeper so what was good for her is good for me now!!!! Stay with the old paths!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true, Sherry! What was good for my grandmother is good for me :) I like to do things the old fashioned way.

      Delete

Thank you so much for visiting! We enjoy reading each and every one of your lovely comments.