Cleaner eggs with different duck bedding?

[newbyduckmom]

I usually use straw for my duck bedding. Ran out last night, so I used pine shavings in the duck house. This morning when I went out to collect eggs/let the critters out in the run, the eggs were entirely buried. Pine shavings were flat - thought there were NO eggs (we normally get three a day). I had put a mound in corner of shavings where they normally build the nest and they apparently decided to level the shavings out and bury the eggs in the middle of the floor. (those ducks never cease to amaze me at how creative are at hiding eggs).

But, my question is, the eggs were almost entirely clean using the pine shavings for bedding. Normally, they are pretty dirty (with straw). Has anyone noticed that different beddings make for cleaner eggs? I prefer the straw as it seems to last longer and go farther, but I like the fact that the eggs were much cleaner.

 

[grawg]

Having used only straw and pine shavings as well, my findings seem to reflect the same outcome, as long as they bury the eggs in the shavings.

 

[duckdad]

I thought that hens (mine anyway) used any eggs as targets.....

I've yet to see one that wasn't stucco'd pretty good with poo.

 

[BallardDuck]

Interesting! I gave up on the straw early on...just got too wet and didn't dry out. I switched to deep pine shavings and clean-up is a dream. My girls do the exact same thing! Completely level the shavings and pat them down...looks like no eggs, but there are! I enjoy clean eggs (the rare smudge) and easy poop clean out.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

I haven't had any duck eggs yet...but I know with the chickens I felt that the shavings are easier to clean up AND I got cleaner eggs with them...straw/hay...well...it's just a bigger mess to clean up for me, and I HATE the way it seems to cake itself into the mud and turn to adobe bricks when it gets wet!