Can I incubate these dirty guinea eggs?

[mtblankus]

Our guinea wasn't in the coop last night and we found her sitting on a nest. We put her in the coop and brought the eggs inside to potentially incubate.

We've let her sit several times and she gives up after a few days, so they don't stand much of a chance under her.

Unfortunately, it's rained a bit in the last week and they are pretty muddy. Should I clean them up or just stick them in the incubator as is?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

You can clean the eggs off with cotton balls or a cloth dipped in a solution of 50% warm water and 50% peroxide.
I would never put eggs that dirty in my incubators.

 

[mtblankus]

You can clean the eggs off with cotton balls or a cloth dipped in a solution of 50% warm water and 50% peroxide.
I would never put eggs that dirty in my incubators.

Thank you! Should I soak them first to soften the dirt?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Thank you! Should I soak them first to soften the dirt?

No don't soak the eggs, just wipe off what you can. Incubating eggs should never be submerged under water.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I wouldn’t call this advice. Just a anecdote.

A few years ago I purchased an adult Ameraucana hen. When I picked her up it had rained all morning. The seller offered me, for free, the eggs that were laid that day to try hatching. I got about 15+ eggs. They were completely covered in poop and mud. They were so gross I wouldn’t even put them in my truck. They rode home in the bed of the truck in a rusty #10 can.

There was no way I was incubating them as is. Since I didn’t have anything to loose I washed them directly under the faucet in warm water. Then sprayed them down with chlorhexidine disinfectant. After drying they went in the incubator.

It turned out to be a pretty good hatch! Two of my favorite hens came from it.

I don’t think you have much to loose cleaning those eggs. Or clean half and use rest others as a control group. There is a lot to be learned from trying out different techniques.

 

[mtblankus]

Thank you all. They're cleaned off and in the incubator. This is my first attempt at hatching eggs, so we'll see what we get!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Thank you all. They're cleaned off and in the incubator. This is my first attempt at hatching eggs, so we'll see what we get!

You made sure your temperatures are all good right? I'd hate for you to not get as good of hatch as you want.

 

[mtblankus]

You made sure your temperatures are all good right? I'd hate for you to not get as good of hatch as you want.

I read the guinea hatching article and set the days and temp to match. 28 days and I think it's 100.5 or 101.5 for the temp (still air). I read 2 articles and they were 1 degree apart, so I split the difference.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I read the guinea hatching article and set the days and temp to match. 28 days and I think it's 100.5 or 101.5 for the temp (still air). I read 2 articles and they were 1 degree apart, so I split the difference.

Do you have an extra calibrated (accurate) thermometer in the incubator?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/