Sometimes its hard to know if those eggs you’ve got on the counter or in the back of the refrigerator are still good to eat. The easiest way to find out is by using the age old and simple egg freshness water test. It’s simple and it really works!

How it works

Eggs have an air cell that becomes larger as the egg ages and acts as a buoyancy aid. An egg can float in water when its air cell has enlarged sufficiently to keep it buoyant.

The egg freshness test

Gently place your eggs in the bowl. You can determine their level of freshness by how they sink or float.

Very Fresh

If the egg sinks to the bottom and lies flat it is Very fresh

Less Fresh

If the egg sinks to the bottom but bobs up upward it is still quite fresh.

Getting Old

If the egg stands upright on one end it is getting old and should be used soon. A lot of people prefer boiled eggs at this stage because they are much easier to peel than when they are fresh.

Very Old

As the egg gets older it will start to float to the top. Eggs that float to the surface are very old and might possibly be spoiled. The only way to determine if it is spoiled or not is to crack it open and check. When you crack the egg, if it has a strong smell or if the white has taken on a blue-green color, toss it out.

Determining your eggs freshness really is that simple!

If you’d like to know how to store and preserve eggs or about raising your own flock of chickens you might be interested in the complete 107 page eBook ‘The Homesteaders Handbook: Raising Chickens‘. This book is filled with everything you need to know to successfully raise, manage and care for a flock. The book covers things like breed selection, shelter, hatching chicks, keeping hens and roosters, feed and much more. It’s full of beautiful photographs and personal anecdotes and it’s an easy read. Sometimes funny or sad, always practical, this book is the only one you’ll need to successfully raise your own flock of healthy, happy chickens.