Egg Washing Experiment *1st batch results in*

[juliecox]

I dub thee the Chicken Mythbuster!

 

[jenjscott]

#1 find someplace to buy a gallon of betadine. Buying this stuff out of the pharmacy section is way to expensive.

#2 buy one of those super extra-soft baby hair brushes.

#3 The amount of mixture can vary depending on how many eggs you want to wash.

#4 You want to make sure the water stays at least 20 degrees warmer than the eggs.

To one quart of warm water (warm to the touch, but easy to keep your hands in) Add 1 Tablespoon of Betadine Solution.
Put some eggs in, no more than you can wash in about a minute. Use the brush to gently wash the eggs, if there is dirt that won't come off at first, put it back into the solution and move on to another egg. I work over top of the container and frequently dip back into the betadine solution so the dirt is rinsed away as I wash it. Place the washed egg onto a wire drip rack like a cooling rack. Let it dry before storing.

I make a fresh batch each day. If I don't have as many to wash, or they are not as dirty, I mix up less water. The water temperature and the betadine solution (but not the concentration) came from research on egg washing. The concentration was totally random, I mixed it up about like we used to mix up betadine for a foot bath and measured the amounts. The temperature is supposed to expel the dirt instead of pulling it down in, and the betadine has residual action to help block bacterial attack.

My second batch is in now, hatching around March 8, so check back for additional results then.

 

[kathyinmo]

Thanks for this information! I was just preparing to wash some eggs in a bleach solution, before hatching.

 

[jenjscott]

Well the second batch goes to the hatcher on the 5th. I had a fertility problem, which I will verify with breakout. With a couple of early quitters. The third batch went in tonight, with total of 7 dozen buckeye eggs. Not included in the experiment are another 4 dozen assorted banties.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I am so glad you are doing this and recording it.

The first time I hatched eggs, I did not wash them. My incubator was really nasty after the hatch.
Now, I wash all the eggs. I've always had from 90 - 100 % hatch on my eggs. I count all eggs in my percentages. If it goes in the incubator, it is counted, even if it turns out to be infertile.
I hatch approximately 3000 chicks a year, and I wash every egg that I gather.

I don't use anything but water with mine, though. I don't let them sit in water, I just rinse them off one at a time, and use a soft brush like you, to rub off any mud or poop.
I have thought about using some sort of disinfectant, but was not willing to experiment, since just the plain water has worked for me.

I know the big hatcheries do disinfect the eggs before incubating them, but I don't know what they use for that.
Thanks for the formula you are using, I may just try it myself now.

Have you had any health issues with the chicks? That was always my main concern for not using a disinfectant.

Jean

 

[archerobx]

pretty cool .
thanks for sharing

 

[jenjscott]

So far, no health problems that I have noted in the 1st hatch out.

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Hey this was my experiment!

BTW, when the hatch is done, check the embryo formation by breaking open the unhatched eggs and let me know!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

If I get a dirty egg, before hatching I wash them off with hot water and a sponge, and then I will spray them with brinsea incubation disinfectant.

Good Experiment.

 

[jenjscott]

Quote:
What is in brinsea incubation disinfectant?