Can you clean fertile eggs?

[dacasodivine]

I have a broody sitting on eggs. Another hen likes to lay her eggs in the same nest and broke her own egg. It is all over the other eggs and they are due to hatch soon. Can I clean them or do I just leave them alone?

Thanks

 

[silky ma]

boy what a mess!

If you wet them you may push bacteria into the shell but on the other hand the shell breathes so I would do the following.
Take some clean fresh pine shavings - use the smallest of shavings possible- lightly wet some with distilled warm water and gently rub the eggs clean.
Do this in a warm area so the eggs dont get cold , place back under mom. I dont know of any egg " cleaners" and I would hate to use any chemicals or soap for fear of plugging the pores of the eggs.
I have had good results with this.

 

[kingmt]

I will probably spell this wrong but I would use hydrogen peroxide that is warm & mist it on the eggs, wipe them off, & mist again. It is nontoxic, antibacterial, & does a good job of cleaning. Plus if there is much bacteria you see the foam so you can keep cleaning until it is gone.

 

[dacasodivine]

I don't have peroxide. What about sterile saline solution?

Will it hurt the chicks to leave it on or will it smoother them?

 

[KellyHM]

Please don's use peroxide on the eggs...the chicks have to breathe that! Sterile saline would be a WONDERFUL choice, especially if applied with sterile gauze.

As long as it's not completely covering the egg I would just leave it be.

 

[dacasodivine]

Well, it was one egg that broke and is spread over 12 eggs. My first thought was not to mess with them but thought I would get on here and ask what was safest to do.

 

[KellyHM]

I would personally just leave them alone, but if it makes you feel better you can use the saline.

 

[dacasodivine]

Kelly, I don't care if they are dirty. I just started to worry that it might hurt the chicks to leave them dirty.

I'm going to set up a dog crate or something next time I have a broody. It gets to be a real pain to check for extra eggs under a very protective broody!

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
LOL, I know! I'm always marking eggs that are suppose to be there and then stealing the others daily! My BL Polish hen just went broody and it's just her and the roo in there...it's so nice not to have to steal eggs from her!

 

[kingmt]

Quote:
I used hydrogen peroxide as mouth wash when I was a kid & it has no smell.

The saline will only do as little as water would. It probably has some salt that might kill some bacteria but not much. Still fallow the same instructions as water.

If it were up to me I would clean it off & change the nesting. That raw egg is going to be screaming for bacteria to come eat & grow in it. The same environment that the egg needs to incubate is the same environment bacteria need. Would you lay a new born baby in rotten egg as soon as it is born.