I care for 32 chickens 365 days of the year and last winter I BOUGHT eggs. Never again! I’m egg-static to tell you I’ve discovered an ancient preservation technique that claims to keep your eggs fresh for months (up to 2 years!) – water glassing eggs.
Skeptical? I was too. I thought water glassing eggs was either going to be a delicious high fiving success or I would die from food poisoning after I tasted my first egg in 6 months. But I’m happy to report I’m still alive although I did develop a small eye twitch…Just kidding!
Water glassing works and the eggs are absolutely delicious! You can scramble them, bake with them, boil them…anything you’d do with a fresh egg. So, let’s get to it. Here’s how to keep eggs fresh for months:
FAQ – Water Glassing Eggs
- What is water glassing eggs?
- When did people first start water glassing eggs?
- Is water glassing eggs safe?
- Why shouldn’t I supplement lighting?
- How do I water glass eggs?
- How long are water glassed eggs goods for?
- What do water glassed eggs look and taste like?
- How do I use water glassed eggs?
- Can I use water glassing to preserve quail or duck eggs?
- What do I do with leftover hydrated lime?
- When is the best time to preserve eggs?
What is water glassing eggs?
Water glassing is a quick and easy method of preserving your fresh eggs for up to a year (or more!) using just water and pickling lime (calcium hydroxide).
The recipe itself is so laughingly simple, I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it before. Basically, you mix pickling lime with water and place your eggs into the solution, which preserves the eggs. Months later you can enjoy fresh eggs as if you just plucked them from the coop.
When did people first start water glassing eggs?
Water glassing eggs dates back to at least 1913 and likely much longer, according to this 1917 circular from the Utah Agricultural College, which says: “The preserving of eggs in the home is not a new practice and has passed the experimental stage.” This was reassuring to read before I actually took a bite out of my first 6-month-old egg.
The circular describes two methods of preserving eggs – using sodium silicate or using pickling lime (calcium hydroxide). I have chosen to use limewater instead of a sodium silicate solution (the traditional water glassing method, which gets its name from the fact that as the water evaporates, the solution solidifies into a glassy solid). Why? Hydrated lime is a cheap, natural product that is readily available.
Is water glassing eggs safe?
This was one of my biggest concerns. I was actually afraid to eat my 6-month old water glassed eggs. But I shouldn’t have been. Water glassing keeps bacteria from getting inside your eggs thanks to the limewater solution, which is extremely alkaline. Bacteria and microorganisms simply can’t grow in this environment.
Note: It is important to wash the limewater off your eggs before you eat them. A drip of limewater could cause your eggs to curdle.
Why I don’t supplement lighting
Before I explain how to perform this fascinating water glassing feat, let me explain why I don’t supplement lighting and instead have chosen to preserve my eggs.
Chickens need light to lay eggs. Mother Nature has designed the chicken perfectly so that chicks (with their limited feathering) only hatch in the spring and develop during the warm summer months. In fact, most breeds need 14 to 16 hours a day in order to lay eggs. In commercial settings, farmers simply use artificial lighting to keep their chickens laying year-round.
Although I have considered installing lights, I would likely have to install a heater as well so our chickens have both the energy to stay warm and lay eggs. Extra heat would also help ensure the eggs don’t freeze in case I’m not in the coop the moment they lay one (which almost never happens) in -30C degree weather.
Finally, as a small homesteader, I’ll admit I have gotten attached to these crazy chooks. I hope to keep them around for as long as I can. By not supplementing lighting, I can do that. Here’s how:
Chickens are born with all the eggs they will ever lay. If keeping chickens was your day job, the goal would be for the hen to lay all of her eggs as quickly as possible. In fact, in a commercial setting, farmers can achieve this in one year! Then the hens are culled. But by giving my chickens a break from laying eggs, I can draw out the number of years they will lay for and therefore keep them longer – without my husband complaining about the cost of keeping unproductive chickens.
In fact, I may be able to keep them out of the stew pot for up to 17 years if my chickens are anything like Victoria, the Black Rock hen who squeezed out two last eggs at the ripe old age of 17.
But now, this brings us back to the original question – What do you do in the winter when your hens aren’t laying? Enter water glassing eggs or liming eggs . Here’s how it works:
How to water glass eggs
On your mark. Get set. Grab your lime. Ok, not the actual citrus fruit but what is often called “slaked, hydrated or pickling lime”. This is calcium hydroxide and we are going to use it to make a solution of limewater.
Materials
Calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime) – an inexpensive, white powder derived from limestone, which you can find at most hardware stores, at the grocery store (pickling lime), or on Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.
“Lime itself is a solid, white compound of calcium and oxygen,” according to HomeScienceSchool. “It’s made from burning limestone (a “stone” made mostly of calcite), shells, and bones.”
A scale for measuring the hydrated lime
Container – I used a glass jar, but you could use a ceramic crock or a food-grade plastic bucket.
Water – If your water is high in minerals or you are on city water, it is best to use distilled or filtered water.
Gloves – The limewater will be very alkaline. I suggest using gloves to protect your skin.
Water Glassing Eggs – How to keep eggs fresh for months
- 1-ounce pickling lime
- 1 litre distilled or filtered water (room temperature)
- one dozen fresh eggs, clean and unwashed
Directions
Step 1
Head to the coop and gather fresh, clean eggs. There must be no poop or dirt on the shells! You can’t even wipe them clean. This could remove the egg’s bloom coating, which keeps bacteria from penetrating the egg.
Step 2
Carefully place the eggs pointy side down (eggs should always be stored this way to help prevent spoiling, according to this article from BBC Science Focus Magazine) into your container.
Step 3
Mix together the water and calcium hydroxide. It will look milky. But because this is a saturated solution, the lime will settle and continue to settle over time. Don’t worry. This is normal. Using warm or boiling water, will not prevent this from happening.
Step 4
Pour the mixture over your eggs. Leave about two inches of liquid above the eggs.
Step 5
Cover to prevent the liquid from evaporating over time. You may want to check on them occasionally to ensure they remain covered. Don’t forget to date and label your container. Store in a cool, dark location until ready to use.
When you are ready to gobble up some fresh eggs, wash them well first before cracking them open. A drip of limewater could cause your eggs to curdle.
PRO TIPS – Water Glassing Eggs
- You don’t have to gather all your eggs at once. You could select eggs on a daily basis over the course of a week or two continuing to add them one by one to the preserving liquid. This is what I have been doing.
- Try not to move your container once you add your eggs. If an egg cracks, it’ll ruin your whole batch. (This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you are using a large container, just moving it a few inches can cause some cracking.)
- Crack each egg in a separate bowl prior to using just in case one has gone bad. This is standard practice in our household especially when I find an egg that has been laid in a random location like inside our bag of shavings or under the doorstep. Sigh.
- The eggs should no longer be porous after sitting in limewater. They should be well sealed. So, if you are planning to hard boil or steam an egg, you should pinprick the shell first to prevent the egg from popping or exploding in your water.
- Wash your eggs well before cracking them open. A drip of limewater could cause your eggs to curdle.
How long do fresh eggs versus preserved eggs last?
On your counter: about 21 days
In your fridge: about 50 days
Water glassing eggs: up to two years
Before you report me to Health Canada, the above numbers (sourced from the Chicken Whisperer Magazine) are for “unwashed eggs”. The eggs you buy at the store will NOT last this long. Commercial eggs have all been thoroughly washed, bleached, and possibly coated with mineral oil.
In order for eggs to stay fresh, they have to retain their “bloom coating”. This coating is what keeps bacteria from penetrating the egg. When you wash your eggs, you remove this protective barrier. Here is a more scientific explanation.
What do water glassed eggs look and taste like?
It’s hard to believe, but eggs kept in limewater taste and look exactly like a fresh egg.
How do I use water glassed eggs?
When you are ready to use an egg, simply remove it from the limewater solution and rinse it clean. You can then use it just like you would a fresh egg – scramble, bake, boil!
You can also save yourself the hassle of having to pull an egg from your water glassing solution each time you need one by taking a few from the container and storing them in the fridge. However, be sure to use them within a few days and always store them in the fridge.
Can I use water glassing to preserve quail or duck eggs?
You can use any type of eggs as long as they are not store-bought. Commercial eggs have all been thoroughly washed, bleached, and possibly coated with mineral oil. You also don’t want to wash the eggs before preserving them. This could remove the egg’s bloom coating, which keeps bacteria from penetrating the egg.
What do I do with leftover hydrated lime?
We use it around the homestead to preserve wood. We whitewash both our barn and chicken coop.
When is the best time to preserve eggs?
Although there is no best time, I started in the fall before my chickens stopped laying for the winter. But you may want to start water glassing as soon as your chickens start laying more eggs than your family can eat. This could be in the early spring or summer.
Now, who is going to join me in this eggs-periment? Have you tried or do you plan to try water glassing eggs? Do you want to keep your eggs fresh for months? Let me know in the comments below.
Water Glassing Eggs Recipe
Equipment
- Calcium hydroxide (hydrated or pickling lime) – an inexpensive, white powder derived from limestone, which you can find at most hardware stores or at the grocery store (pickling lime).
- A scale for measuring the hydrated or pickling lime
- Container – I used a glass jar, but you could use a ceramic crock or a food-grade plastic bucket.
- Water – If your water is high in minerals or you are on city water, it is best to use distilled or filtered water.
- Gloves – The limewater will be very alkaline. I suggest using gloves to protect your skin.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce pickling lime
- 1 litre distilled or filtered water room temperature
- 1 dozen fresh eggs clean and unwashed
Instructions
- Head to the coop and gather fresh, clean eggs. There must be no poop or dirt on the shells! You can’t even wipe them clean. This could remove the egg’s bloom coating, which keeps bacteria from penetrating the egg.
- Carefully place the eggs pointy side down (eggs should always be stored this way to help prevent spoiling) into your container.
- Mix together the water and calcium hydroxide. It will look milky. But because this is a saturated solution, the lime will settle and continue to settle over time. Don’t worry. This is normal. Using warm or boiling water, will not prevent this from happening.
- Pour the mixture over your eggs. Leave about two inches of liquid above the eggs. Cover to prevent the liquid from evaporating over time. You may want to check on them occasionally to ensure they remain covered.
- Don’t forget to date and label your container. Store in a cool, dark location until ready to use.
- When you are ready to gobble up some fresh eggs, wash them well first before cracking them open. A drip of limewater could cause your eggs to curdle.
Notes
- You don’t have to gather all your eggs at once. You could select eggs on a daily basis over the course of a week or two continuing to add them one by one to the preserving liquid. This is what I do.
- Try not to move your container once you add your eggs. If an egg cracks, it’ll ruin your whole batch. (This may sound like a no-brainer, but if you are using a large container, just moving it a few inches can cause some cracking.)
- Crack each egg in a separate bowl prior to using just in case one has gone bad. This is standard practice in our household especially when I find an egg that has been laid in a random location like inside our bag of shavings or under the doorstep. Sigh.
- Your eggs should no longer be porous after sitting in limewater. They should be well sealed. So, if you are planning to hard boil or steam an egg, you should pinprick the shell first to prevent the egg from popping or exploding in your water.
If you liked this post, check out:
Got a few minutes? Try your hand at fermenting pickles?
What I wished I would have known about raising chicks
Converting an existing structure into a chicken coop
PIN IT FOR LATER!
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Always enjoy reading your blog. I am soon going to live off grid (buying yurt) and plan of few chickens along with my already few bee hives. 😊
Anyhow thank you !
Heidi
Oh wow! That sounds amazing and so exciting! I would love to hear all about your adventures and what you learn along the way. Good luck with the chickens. I think you will really enjoy keeping them.
Thank you! 🙂
I have found 1 bad egg on top in my batch of 75 eggs.
I removed it. The smell is gone.
Can I rinse the other 74 and put into new solution?
Or pitch then?
Hi Jenn, If the smell is gone, the eggs are probably fine. I did have one egg that cracked in one of my batches. I removed it and the other eggs were fine. But yes, you could put them into a new solution. They will probably be ok.
I am a first time chicken owner. We get lots of eggs I am so interested in saving them in lime solution. I have a question if some of the eggs are dirty, how much can I rinse them before the water glossing? Or is it just wash ? Mine are ALWAYS dirty when we get them. I just bought lime but this is holding me back..
Hi there, Congratulations on the new chickens. Unfortunately, you can’t rinse them before water glassing. You can use a dry cloth to lightly rub any dried dirt or something like that off the eggs. Is there a way to keep your eggs cleaner? I find I can do this if I keep their bedding and nesting boxes clean and keep them out of the mud. LOL!
Hello there!
I currently have water glassed eggs in a container and am ready to start using them. They have been in the lime solution for about 4 months. This is my first batch so I only have about 2 dozen eggs in the container. I am wondering if I can wash the lime solution off the eggs and store them in the fridge for easier access? Or is it better to pull them from the lime solution daily as needed?
Hello and thank you for your question. It is a very good one! Yes, you can save yourself the hassle of having to pull an egg from your water glassing solution each time you need one by taking a few from the container and storing them in the fridge. However, be sure to use them within a few days to ensure they don’t go bad and always store them in the fridge. Thank you again and I hope you are enjoying your eggs. 🙂
I was wondering if the eggs have to come directly from the hen house or if you can use eggs that have been placed in the refrigerator for a few days? Will it not work if you use cold eggs? Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Lea! You’re welcome and thank you for your question. The temperature of the eggs doesn’t matter as long as they are fresh and unwashed. 🙂
Can I water glass clean unwashed eggs that have been on my counter for 2 weeks?
It’s best to use the freshest eggs possible, but yes, you can.
Lovely, I was looking for this information and you have made it clear, accessible, precise. I am glad to try something from somebody that has experienced it. Thanks a lot.
Thank you so much and you’re welcome! 🙂 I hope you enjoy your water glassed eggs.
Can I wash eggs and dehydrate after one egg went bad in bucket or any other ideas. Egg went bad 5 days ago and other eggs seem to be deteriating slightly
Hi Marika, Are you sure the other eggs are still good? If they are, then you could dehydrate them.
Got mine in the lime water now. Can’t wait to see how they come out. Thank you .
Awesome! I think you will enjoy them. 🙂
So can I water glass eggs that have been on my counter for 8 days?
Hi Debbie, It’s best to use the freshest eggs possible but yes, you could use these eggs.
Can I use a rubber seal jar with the clasp? Or will the lime eat away at the seal? Im wanting to try this as soon as possible! And can I layer the eggs in jar first then pour the liquid over them?
Hi Brandie! Thank you for your questions. According to this post (https://sciencing.com/sodium-magnesium-silicate-5629958.html) hydroxides could be harmful to rubber seals.
Yes, you can layer the eggs in the jar first and then pour the liquid over them. Happy water glassing! 🙂
I have a tub almost full of eggs can I put them in a larger container and keep putting more eggs in with them ?
Hi Mary, Yes, you can! Right now we are getting so many eggs. I have them in a big bucket. LOL! And I just keep adding eggs to it.
Hey! We have a couple roosters, does it still work if the egg is fertilized?
Yes, absolutely. We have a rooster too. 🙂
Oh no. I have a 3 gallon jar of water glassed eggs from 3 months ago and I just noticed one is cracked! Are the rest salvageable? Can I just switch the uncracked ones to a new container w fresh limewater or are all the eggs useless now? This was going to be our winter supply this year.
Oh no! 🙁 I’m so sorry to hear that. I’m not sure what to do as I haven’t had this happen. To be safe, I’d suggest carefully removing all the eggs and testing them to see if they are still good. If so, I would consider storing them in other ways. Perhaps you could make some baked goods and freeze them or crack open and freeze the eggs in baggies or containers. There are lots of tutorials online that show you how to freeze eggs. Personally, in addition to water glassing, I have been making a lot of coconut flour based recipes, which require a lot of eggs and then freezing the baked goods. I’m also experimenting with boiling and then fermenting eggs. I’m planning to write a post about this soon. 🙂 You could also experiment with a couple eggs and place them in a new water glassing eggs solution and then test them in a few weeks to see if they stay preserved. I hope this helps!
Thank you!! I think testing and reglassing and testing again will be what we try while also using some up. Just found over a dozen hidden in the barn I have to test/use too. Gotta love chickens!
Christine, I was wondering how the reglassing worked for you. I just found a cracked egg in my 5 gallon bucket (which is more than half full) and am trying to figure out what to do.
Dearest Kimberlee, thank you so much for this information! We are over in Europe in a very seismic zone and were wondering if we could keep the eggs in their paper cartons and fill the 50 liter plastic food container for added protection during an earthquake? TIA Sam
You’re welcome Sam! I’m sorry I can’t help you with this question. I’m not sure how that would work out in the liming solution. If you try this, can you let me know how you make out? Thank you very much!
Hi Kimberlee – great article! I do have a question: when pulling a few eggs out of the container to put in the fridge do I rinse them first and then put in fridge or leave the lime solution on them and rinse off when ready to eat?
Hi Shari! Thank you for your question. I rinse them first so I don’t forget to rinse them before I use them. LOL! You definitely don’t want limewater curdling your eggs.
Hi Kimberly,
You say the eggs are unwashed but also fresh with no poop on them. What do I do if all my eggs have dirt on them? Can i wipe them with a towel? Thanks!
Hi Marie! If there is just a little bit of dirt that you can brush off with a dry cloth, that should be fine. Otherwise the eggs have to be clean. If not, you can’t use them. I date and refridgerate any dirty eggs. They should keep 3 months in the fridge. And then I water glass the clean eggs. 🙂 To help keep my eggs clean, I ensure I always have fresh shavings in their nesting boxs and we rotate the chickens around the yard so they are walking on grass and not dirt. I hope this helps. Thank you!
Will the water start to smell bad? I’ve started mine two weeks ago and I removed the lid to add more eggs and the water smells spoiled. Is this normal or did I do something wrong? Thank you
Hi Sarah! No, the water should not smell bad. It should smell like the hydrated lime but not bad. Did you perhaps accidentally crack an egg?
Thank you so much for your reply. I will definitely check and see if there may be a cracked egg. Would it be safe to transfer the eggs to a new container? Or should I just start a new bucket with fresh eggs?
I’m not sure what to do as I haven’t had this happen. To be safe, I’d suggest carefully removing all the eggs and testing them to see if they are still good. If so, you could experiment with a couple eggs and place them in a new water glassing eggs solution and then test them in a few weeks to see if they stay preserved. If not, then yes, start a new bucket with fresh eggs. 🙂
Thank you so much, I will definitely do that and I’ll let you know what happens. I really do appreciate your response.
No problem! 🙂 I love to hear from readers. Thank you so much! Take care and yes, let me know how you make out if you get a chance.
I just placed 2 dz eggs in the solution a month ago and checked on them. I had one with a hairline crack and some of the egg white has curdled and gone to the top of the jar. You mentioned that if one egg cracks then the whole batch is bad. Why would the rest go bad? I would assume if the solution keeps bacteria and microorganisms from growing then it should prevent food poisoning organisms too from growing and the eggs are sealed anyway. Is there a scientific article that explains the reason why the whole batch needs thrown out?
Hi Angela, They may not be all bad. They may be fine but be sure to crack them into a separate bowl just in case. Also, the smell of the curdled egg may actually seep into the other eggs, which gives them a bad taste. So be sure to try one first.
I have a 5 gal bucket from sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) my husband purchased for the pool. I washed the bucket out and dried it good, then made my solution using 1 qt spigot water since we have a well to 1 oz hydrated lime and 1 tsp pink himalayan salt, which is what I read to use on another blog. I have about a half full 5 gallon bucket, and added about a dozen eggs the first day, then have added more each day thereafter for the last few days. The lady on the other blog said we can just keep adding til the bucket is full and if there’s not enough mixture above the eggs, just add more mixture so they remain covered. The lime has fallen to the bottom and the water appears almost clear. I do NOT need to stir the water up any, do I? Also, the lid does not screw on or pop on, but is basically just sitting on top of the bucket. As long as the water has not seeped out, is that ok? If it begins to evaporate, do I just mix up more solution and pour over the eggs so they remain covered at all times? Sorry for the myriad of question, but I’ve got a ton of eggs I’m trying to save for the winter months! So far I’ve waterglassed about 28 eggs.
Hi there! Thank you for your questions. No, you do not need to stir the water and the lid sitting on top of the bucket is absolutely fine. Yes, the eggs should remain covered at all times. Happy water glassing!
Does it matter if my unwashed eggs have been in the fridge for a week or two?
It’s best to use the freshest eggs possible but yes, you can.
Hi there Kimberlee,
Thank you so much for the recipe. I’m definitely going to give it a go. Last year I beat up and froze eggs. They are ok for scrambled eggs, omelets, etc but that’s it. So am going to give this a go and also dehydrating as well.
Thank you kindly.
Colleen.
You are very welcome Colleen! Happy water glassing! And I agree. Frozen eggs are not great for scrambled eggs but the water glassed eggs work really well. Enjoy!
I just started water glassing my extra eggs. My 4 hens produce more eggs than the 2 of us can eat, averaging 26-28 a week!
Thank you for an informative article
You’re welcome! Thank you!
I just started my first batch today. Our chickens are still producing their usual 12-16 eggs per day. I will only need to store eggs over winter till they start laying in spring. When I start using the stored eggs how will know if an egg is bad?
Hi Sandy, Thank you for your question. If an egg is bad, it won’t be in good condition when you crack it open and it will smell bad.
I tried glassing a batch of eggs last year. I have kept them in my basement using them if I need to. They ‘the first batch’ has lasted 14 months sofar still good.
That’s great to hear! Thank you for sharing.