A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[Molpet]

If you are reading things that say don't wash them you are reading the wrong things..

NPIP school will teach you to wash all eggs and why. If they are going into an incubator, you wash them. If they are going under a broody, you don't.

Washing eggs is one of those things I get persnickety about....

SOOOO
What is the best way to wash an egg for incubating? seems to be several ways

 

[duluthralphie]

The USDA Vet that inspects me, has me using an ounce of bleach in a gallon of water.

I have on-demand hot water system so I can easily control my water temp. I use 120 degree hot water.

I rinse the egg and get the chunks off.
Then I dunk the egg in the bleach water..

Let is sit a few seconds if it looks dirty still then rinse under hot water...

Then dunk in a second clean bleach and sit a few seconds, I mean few 3-5 seconds and rinse again under running water.

Then I place them on an extra sanitized egg tray (the plastic GQF farms one) to dry.

From there they go into a plastic or foam egg carton to slow moisture loss.

Do not worry about hot water killing the egg. At this point the egg has to have an internal temp of 117 degrees to kill it. the short time it is in hot water will never raise the temp that much..

I do all of this with sterile latex gloves on. My gloves are in and out of the bleach water so often I do not worry much about them becoming too germ filled. BUT I do use a new clean pair when I put them in the incubator..


Some say I am a germophobe. I deny this. I use the theory even paranoid people have enemies.

I think this is the same way @MNChickMom does it too. She has the same inspector I have.

 

[Bantambird]

My NPIP inspector states that a visual scan of egg cleanliness is enough. Aren't you worried about disturbing the bloom on the egg?

 

[duluthralphie]

My NPIP inspector states that a visual scan of egg cleanliness is enough. Aren't you worried about disturbing the bloom on the egg?

You want the bloom off the egg when incubating in a machine. The manmade incubators are perfect for growing bacteria. The bloom cannot protect in the machine.

Under a broody is a different environment. You could lose all the eggs under a broody to bacteria but you would have no idea. The bloom does help stop some fungi and bacteria but not all.

Think back over you lifetime at how many times a broody starts to sit on eggs and then just leaves them. Those times could very well be something went wrong.

With an incubator, you keep it sterile and everything that goes in it is sterile, that is you best protection. A far better protection than bloom would be.

Here are the USDA standards they clearly call for sanitized eggs:
https://www.poultryimprovement.org/documents/ProgramStandardsAugust2014.pdf

 

[Molpet]

so what are both of your hatch rates?
although there are so many variables that can mess them up

 

[Molpet]

Then I place them on an extra sanitized egg tray (the plastic GQF farms one) to dry.

From there they go into a plastic or foam egg carton to slow moisture loss.

How long do you keep them, after washed, before they go in the incubator? Would they keep 10 days after layed? Or does washing them mean they need to be incubated quicker

 

[duluthralphie]

I wash them just before they go into the incubator. I rely (foolishly) on the bloom to protect them before that.

If they seem "worser" than normal I might wash and sanitize them twice.

 

[duluthralphie]

so what are both of your hatch rates?
although there are so many variables that can mess them up

Hatch rates for me seem more dependent on the time of year/weather than anything else.

30% winter hatch to 90% plus, late spring hatch.

 

[holm25]

I have a RP hen, I am willing to let go cheap....ish.

They are the ones living with the toads. I have wondered why I am not getting toad eggs. I now know why.

I saw a toad egg in the nest box, before I could get the gate open and into the pen the RP hen had 3/4 of the egg down.

About an hour later I saw a toad hen in the nest box, I went to look under her and as soon as I opened the gate the RP hen ran for the nest box and started shoving her head under the toad. I chased her away, reached under the hen and saved the toad egg.

RP hen is next bird up for a Sunday Dinner.

Can you just do the Beak trim on her?

 

[duluthralphie]

Can you just do the Beak trim on her?

No. But I bet you could.