How to Store Farm Fresh Eggs to Make Them Last
Last Updated on June 28, 2025
Do you buy fresh eggs from a local farm, or have your own backyard chickens? Come learn how to safely store fresh eggs to make them last and retain the best quality!
This guide will cover important frequently asked questions like: if fresh eggs need to be refrigerated or not, when and how to wash them, how long they’re good for, and how to test freshness with the “float test” – along with a little of the science behind it all. I used to work as a food safety health inspector after all, and have been raising backyard chickens for over 10 years!
NOTE: This post was originally published in July 2020 and recently updated.
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RELATED: Don’t miss our beginner’s guide on raising backyard chickens, including the top 18 chicken breeds for friendly birds and colorful eggs!
Farm fresh eggs are remarkably different from those you buy in the store. They’re more flavorful, colorful, nutrient-dense, and the chickens typically receive much better care! Also, they’re not processed in the same manner as commercial eggs, which means you should store and wash fresh eggs differently than store-bought eggs.
Can I Store Fresh Eggs at Room Temperature?
It depends. Unwashed fresh eggs from backyard chickens or a local farm that haven’t yet been refrigerated can safely be stored on the counter at room temperature for a couple weeks. On the other hand, washed eggs must be refrigerated. (See more info about shelf life below.)
If you purchase local eggs at a farmers market or farm stand, ask if they’ve been washed and/or need to be refrigerated. When in doubt, store them in the fridge!
We don’t wash our eggs until we use them, and love to admire our hen’s gorgeous eggs in a wire basket or handy egg skelter on the counter. When we have a lot, we rotate the older eggs into the fridge after a week and leave the freshest ones out.
The Bloom, Washing, and Pasteurization
Freshly-laid eggs have a natural protective coating on the outside of the shell called the cuticle. More commonly known as the “bloom”, the cuticle effectively seals the otherwise porous eggshell.
As the University of Edinburgh explains, “the cuticle prevents bacteria from entering the egg and forms its first line of defense against infection.” This is nature’s way of protecting developing chicks in fertilized eggs! The bloom also helps keep eggs fresh longer, preventing both the loss of moisture and the introduction of contamination.
As required by the USDA, commercial store-bought eggs are pasteurized (rapidly heated to a high temperature). The process kills pathogens present at the time of pasteurization but provides no long-term protection. Rather, both pasteurization and washing eggs removes the bloom, thus leaving eggs more susceptible to spoilage. This is why pasteurized and washed eggs must be refrigerated.
The Anatomy of an Egg, via MannaPro
How Long Do Fresh Eggs Last on the Counter?
Fresh unwashed eggs stay good for about 2 to 3 weeks when stored on the counter at room temperature. However, the recommendation doesn’t stem from food safety alone – but more so to maintain optimal eating quality.
As eggs age, their protein structure degrades. This causes older egg whites to become more runny, and the yolks to stand less round and tall or break more easily.
Even though it’s safe, eggs stored at room temperature will degrade much faster than those stored in the refrigerator. The warmer your home is, the more this is true! Therefore, I personally recommend storing eggs at room temperature for no longer than a week – and only a few days if it is very hot and humid.
Storing Eggs in the Refrigerator
Storing eggs in the fridge significantly increases their shelf life. Unwashed fresh eggs will stay good for 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator! Washed eggs will lose moisture and degrade in quality sooner, but may still be safe to consume within that same timeframe.
Because washed eggs are more porous, it’s best to store them in an enclosed container in the fridge to reduce moisture loss and also prevent the absorption of off-odors or bacteria. It’s best to dry washed eggs prior to storage too.
Once eggs are refrigerated even one time, they should be kept in the refrigerator thereafter, washed or not. According to the USDA, “a cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg and increasing the growth of bacteria”. Therefore, refrigerated eggs should not be left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature before use.
When and How to Wash Fresh Eggs
In general, I recommend waiting to wash fresh eggs until right before you use them. That is, unless they are soiled with poop, mud, or otherwise in need of a good rinse. In that case, wash dirty eggs and then store them in the fridge.
Otherwise, storing eggs unwashed will keep them more “sealed” and thus extend their shelf life and freshness, whether you store them at room temperature or in the fridge! I know many backyard chicken keepers who don’t wash their eggs at all.
To wash our eggs, we simply rinse and rub them under warm water. There is no need for harsh soaps, vinegar or bleach. In fact, chemicals or odors could absorb through the shell! Use a soft sponge or cloth to gently wash away debris if needed, but avoid scrubbing with anything abrasive.
Allow washed eggs to air dry or dry them with a towel before putting them in an enclosed container in the fridge.
Other Tips for Storing Eggs
Did you know that it’s best to store eggs with their round end up, and pointy end facing down? That’s because there’s an air sac within the rounded end, and when it’s facing up, it acts like a little balloon of insulation that helps to reduce evaporation and additional moisture loss – thus keeping eggs fresh longer!
The Float Test: Assess Egg Freshness
Did your egg rotation get mixed up, or aren’t sure which eggs are the most fresh? Try the float test!
- Fill a glass or bowl with cool water, and gently place the eggs in question inside.
- The freshest eggs will lay on the bottom of the glass.
- Eggs that are a few weeks old will stay on the bottom but “stand up” slightly. Middle-age eggs may partially float but stay submerged.
- The higher the egg floats, the older it is. Full-blown floaters are considered bad to consume.
Moderately old eggs are still perfectly fine to use. In fact, I prefer to use slightly older eggs to hard boil because they’re much easier to peel than super fresh eggs!
How to Keep Backyard Chicken Eggs Clean
To prevent your eggs from getting dirtied up, do your best to keep the hen’s nesting boxes clean. Discourage sleeping (ahem… pooping) in the nesting boxes by providing suitable sleeping roosts above the height of the nest boxes. Their natural instinct is to sleep as high above the ground as possible.
Collect eggs daily, or even a few times per day depending on your schedule and flock size! Change out soiled nest box bedding material as needed. We use these nesting box pads that cushion the eggs and keep them extra clean.
If your chickens are prone to laying eggs in random places, help train them where to lay by placing wood dummy eggs inside the nest boxes. They want to lay where eggs already are! However, only use dummy eggs until they learn the lesson. Otherwise, leaving eggs (real or fake) in the nest boxes can make a hen go broody – which isn’t a good thing! Learn how to break a broody hen here.
Recap: Best Practices to Store Fresh Eggs
- Don’t wash the eggs until you use them, unless they’re soiled.
- Fresh unwashed eggs do not need to be refrigerated for several weeks, though one to two weeks is best for quality.
- Always refrigerate washed eggs, and store them in an enclosed container.
- Eggs will maintain a higher quality when stored in the refrigerator – washed or not. However, unwashed fresh eggs will stay good the longest.
- Once refrigerated, keep cold eggs in the fridge.
- Keep track of your eggs. Rotate room temperature eggs into the refrigerator once a week. Use old eggs first.
- Store eggs with their pointy end facing down.
Well, that was fun. Even I learned a few new things while putting together this article, so I hope you did too! Please feel free to ask questions, and help spread important food safety information by sharing this article. Enjoy those fresh eggs!
You may also enjoy:
- When Do Chickens Start Laying Eggs? 5 Telltale Signs It’s Soon!
- Chickens Not Laying Eggs? 6 Possible Reasons Why
- Top 18 Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Flock (information about egg colors and laying habits included)
- Chickens Eating Eggs? 9 Ways to Prevent or Stop It
- Feeding Chickens Eggshells or Oyster Shells for Essential Calcium
Deanna Talerico
Deanna Talerico (aka DeannaCat) is a garden educator and writer with over 15 years experience in organic gardening. She is a retired Senior Environmental Health Specialist, and holds a M.A. in Environmental Studies and B.S. in Sustainability and Natural Resources.
65 Comments
ruby
i was a newbie in raising chickens (started with 2 lost 1, got another 3 and losing one again; got 1st chick but now 2 chicks from 2 hens), a year in it. getting eggs from them provides satisfaction. tested eggs via flotation test. not eating the eggs fast enough i guess so i get 2 months old eggs. float test, indeed floats but i open up the eggs don’t smell, whites aren’t runny. still safe to eat or use in baking as part of the ingredients? you hear the word salmonella.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Ruby, eggs can indeed last quite awhile before they go bad although the quality of the egg itself will decrease with time. If you aren’t eating your eggs quickly enough, try giving them away to neighbors or store them in the refrigerator from the get go in hopes of preserving the quality of the egg for longer. Hope that helps and good luck!
Jules
My 2 year old granddaughter got salmonella from touching fresh eggs not washed that someone brought to the house. Ever heard of such?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Jules, I don’t have any experience with that in particular but the CDC does state that salmonella can be transferred from the egg to ones hands. It’s tough for a 2 year old kid but it is recommended to wash your hands after handling eggs as any eggs that come in contact with bird droppings have the possibility of being infected with salmonella. Sorry about your granddaughter and hopefully she has fully recovered, good luck!
Richard
Hey there… Thanks for informative article….! My Question…. We just received 3 DZ fresh eggs from a neighbor that definitely needed washing. I placed them in a utility sink just covered w water to ease the cleaning process – they remained there in cool water for about 14 hrs before washing, drying and placing in refrigerator… Then I read online “not to leave in water” as they can absorb the water, etc – in this case, possibly “poopy water”…. Do you think there is any risk that they absorbed any dangerous bacteria… the washing took place AFTER the 14 hrs – hopefully leaving the bloom in place for protection…. Any thoughts…? Thank you….!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Richard, I would suggest you discard the eggs as soaking them in water is not advisable. If you happen to get more eggs that are soiled, it is best to just rinse them under water, lightly dry them, and place them in the refrigerator. I’m sure your neighbor will have more eggs to gift in the future and hopefully next time they aren’t quite as soiled.
Richard
Aaron, thanks for quick reply…. I was afraid of that answer but in hopes that the cuticle / bloom still being intact might protect them….! Best to you guys and many thanks….!
Dave
Hey Deannacat / Aaron,
This might be a silly question but I need to ask it anyhow. If you perform a float test, considering most people wash their eggs in water only, would that sufficiently remove the cuticle from the egg requiring you to refrigerate it from that point forward or can it again be stored on the counter at room temperature?
Thanks for all of the great information in your article.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Dave, if your questioning if your egg is still good than it is probably best for it to be in the refrigerator anyway. For us, if our eggs typically ever get wet, we will usually just put them in the fridge to be safe as we typically have space for them and they store best in the fridge as well. Hope that helps and good luck!
Deb MacDonald
Hi Deannacat! I just read your post about storing eggs. Great information! I have been collecting fresh eggs from my neighbor who is on vacation (and told me to take them so they don’t go to waste.) I’ve made egg salad and hard boiled eggs now twice and although the eggs are about 2 days old, I have not had any trouble peeling them. My method is to bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then I carefully add the eggs one at a time so they don’t break. I let them boil for a good 20 minutes. While they are boiling, I prepare an ice bath, whereby I fill a bowl with ice and water. After the eggs are done boiling, I quickly drain the hot water and then quickly dump the eggs in the ice bath. I usually let them sit in the ice bath at least another 20 minutes. This sudden change in temperature causes the inner skin to pull away from the shell. I then tap the egg on the bottom rounded side and gently roll it across the counter to break up the shell. I have peeled them completely in tact, no sticking to the inner shell! This has worked for me perfectly! Nice smooth hard boiled eggs that I collected 2 days ago!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Thanks for the tip Deb, we also use an ice bath to cool the eggs after cooking and it helps a lot.
Elizabeth
Great article. In comparing with egg handling practices of other countries it is important to mention that the US does NOT require salmonella vaccination of egg laying hens. Many other countries do and this greatly increases the safety of room temperature stored eggs.
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Thank you for your insight.
Chris
While I have no desire to raise chickens, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the chickens/eggs article and links top to bottom. Love to read everything Homestead & Chill! You guys are fantastic and so very knowlegable! So glad I found your website.
Tonya Hamlet
Thank you so much for the info. It has helped me a lot. I’m a new chicken owner and my precious darlings are just starting to lay eggs for the first time. Iv’e gotten 3 eggs over the past week, although i’m not quite sure which one is leaving me the gift each day, i have 3 different breeds doing the “submitting squat” and talking up a storm. I haven’t been able to sit and watch to see which it is yet, but they’re the Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Golden Sex Link. I also have white leghorn and speckled sussex in that same coop as well, but none of them are doing the “submitting squat.” I’m getting ready to move the trail cam on into the coop, instead of over looking the run, for a couple of days to see which one it is. I have 2 seperate coops, one is for the multi breed big girls, and the other is for the multi breed bantams. I’m also eager to see what the bantams eggs will look like. I don’t have a big rooster, yet. I do however have 2 bantam rooster’s. I’m wondering if it would be ok to put the bigger bantam rooster ( millie fluer cochin) in with the big girls, and them not hurt him cause he’s smaller. What is your suggestion?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Tonya, it becomes a little easier when they are all laying as their colors (even if brown) may all vary somewhat. As far as introducing your rooster goes, it really can go any of a number of ways and the only way to know for sure is to put him in with the hens and see what happens. Some hens are fine with it while others may gang up on the rooster, I think it also depends on the temperament of the rooster as well. We have not had a rooster yet so we don’t have too much experience in that department. Hope that helps and good luck!
Evelyn
Why are my older hens laying weird looking eggs and are they eatable?
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hi Evelyn, sometimes hens can lay odd shaped eggs and I don’t see anything wrong with eating them. Are the odd shaped eggs a regular occurrence for each of your older hens?
Amy Rossi
Thank you so much for that info. I “met” a lady online and local to my area that is selling her chicken eggs, and I ordered some and I could not get there the same day, She said no worries they are out front in the big mailbox overnight, get them in the am!!! I thought oh lord…It’s 86 degrees outside!
So thank you for schooling me in the art of amazingly fresh eggs!
Sunny Kim
Thank you so much for your well written and very informative article! I recently came across some fresh eggs and they were a bit “scary” to me. I know they haven’t been washed and they’ve just been sitting on the counter for a couple of weeks now. I love the idea of getting back to basics and freshness of real food. I came across your article and now armed with new knowledge…I will do the float test!!
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Good luck Sunny and thanks for reading!
Harry G. Williams
I hope you are having a great day and what you are doing is very exciting and something in which I would like to get involved. I am 78 years old and would like to find a partner with whom my passion can be shared. I would like to find a lady who would enjoy the country life. I do not need to get married, but meeting the right lady with whom I could share what life has to offer us the rest of my life. If you know of a lady who would like the same life style, I would not object to meeting her. My family has lived in Sacramento for over 150 years and I would like to see this farming thing happen.
Regards,
Harry
Aaron (Mr. DeannaCat)
Hello Harry, we do not know of anyone but maybe check out what farmersonly.com has to offer as it is geared towards people inclined to that lifestyle. Hope you find someone to share the rest of your life with and good luck!
Terry
That was a very informative article. Thanks for the good read!
Heather
HARRY! Maybe I have a match for you but she lives in Pleasant Hill 💝
Loved this article so much, glad I found your website!!!
I don’t know if you get snow where you live…I’m having the worst time gardening, I finally got tomato plants to grow but they never fruited.
Thank you