Egg Washing

TLDR: The eggs aren't washed. They don't need refrigeration but its recommended, just make sure to wash your hands after handling them.

The difference between washed vs unwashed eggs

Before a hen lays an egg, her body creates a protective layer called the "bloom" over the shell. The bloom protects the egg from any bacteria getting inside by sealing the 6,000-8,000 shell pores.

Large commercial egg producers spray their eggs with a chemical sanitizer before they package them, to reduce the risk of bacteria like salmonella contaminating the egg. When eggs are washed, the "bloom" is removed, leaving the egg pores open to potential new bacteria. Without that protective layer, it's recommended that you refrigerate washed eggs at a temperature around 45 degrees to prevent any bacteria growth.

If eggs are left unwashed with the bloom intact, you can place them on your kitchen counter. Unwashed, room temperature eggs should keep for about two weeks. If you aren't planning to eat your eggs for a while, we recommend refrigerating them. The cooler temperatures increase the shelf life, with eggs keeping for up to three months in the refrigerator.

Your eggs from Daisy Farms have not been washed. The USDA actually recommends against washing eggs.

Wait, didn't you just say the grocery stores spray for salmonella?

But what about poop on an egg? Still feeling a little grossed out over the idea of keeping something in your fridge that could be covered in chicken doody?

First, an anatomy lesson: Hens lay eggs from a vent underneath all those feathers. It’s the same one that expels urine and feces, but you’ll be relieved to know that Mother Nature thought of your ick factor. That vent has a membrane that turns inside out during the laying process to protect the egg from the chicken’s other excretions. So poop doesn’t actually touch the egg. There can often be mud or blood on some eggs, but we clean our coop regularly and will toss out any eggs that might have come in contact with a little pile of future fertilizer.

All of that said, please wash your hands after handling the eggs. The bloom is protecting the inside of the egg, but the outside is still fair game for bacteria. Its best to wash your hands after handling any type of eggs.