DUCK EGG PANIC HELP!!!!

[JHducks3]

basically my duck eggs arrived today Ive put them pointy side down for 24hrs and i was advised by my duck book and my incubator seller to wash them but Ive just read on a article on this site that you shouldn't wash them!! have i killed my eggs!!?? i was told dirt can kill them so i washed them?? what should i do?? please help

 

[Habibs Hens]

don't worry just incubate them

I have washed eggs before and they always hatched

I have even pulled eggs from my fridge after a few days and they hatched


the main thing is the way they are handled before setting

 

[JHducks3]

i handled them with care and slowly and they havnt been touched since been left to settle im panicking a bit im gonna put them in the incubator tomorrow morning

 

[Moonkit]

All washing does besides removing the dirt is that it removes the "bloom" that the hen puts on the egg when she lays it. This bloom would normally protect the egg from bacteria entering it. This just means that I would not put those eggs under a broody, but in an incubator, they should be just fine. Just be sure that you wash your hands well anytime you're going to handle them and keep that incubator as clean as possible (perhaps using distilled water in the resouviers(sp?) if it has any). Sterilize the incubator before you put them in too.

 

[Mother Hen 101]

I did an experiment with washed and refrigerated duck eggs, and they all hatched just fine. No worries! : )