If my dad was still alive I would ask him but here goes. We have chickens - layers. Because it is so

[fasttense]

1. Yes, we clean some of the eggs too

Here in TN, by law you have to wash your eggs in bleach water if you are going to sell them retail. Not kidding. Yuck.

Most chicken eggs have a protective antibiotic coating that keeps the eggs fresh. Washing is not recommended (except in TN) because it washes off the coating. The shell is porous (especially after washing), so if you let them soak in anything they will absorb it. Now think of those bleach washed eggs. Yuck.

Anyway, no matter what we do, some of our eggs get dirty and we wash them or use a rough brush to get the dirt off depending on what dirt they have and how dirty they are.

We find that using straw and wrapping it in a nest shape tends to keep the eggs cleaner than anything else we have tried. Make sure your boxes have a lip so that everything doesn't fall out right away. We have to replace the straw about every 2 weeks. But even doing this some of the hens get their dirty feet and poo on the eggs. We wash them and use them. We have been doing this for 5 years now.