Can you wash eggs for hatching?

[Little Dan]

I was given 15 Maran eggs to hatch but they are all very dirty can they be washed before putting in bator or not?

 

[DraigAthar]

If you wash them, you increase the chance of bacteria getting through the shell to the developing embryo. I usually use fine sandpaper to gently sand poopy/dirty areas fromm eggs before incubating them, but if they are exceptionally poopy I just don't set them at all.

 

[Little Dan]

Thanks I never thought of that but will give it a try on some.