Egg Washing????

[little_grey_bantam]

I just spoke to a gentleman on the phone... has some neat looking birds and what not...
Anyways, he states that he hatches out birds by the thousands and that his friend hatches approximately 300-400,000 chicks a year; they typically get 85-95% hatch rate (I'm so jealous)...

However, the strangest thing of all, I was curious, was that he WASHES his eggs!
He uses a slight bleach solution and just barely "wipes" the off (doesn't rub them in).
He states he's been doing it for years as well as his friend and his eggs are 1-7 days old.
His friend uses a mechanical egg washer (his eggs are sold for consumption).
He even states how the super dirty ones are washed with soap and then dipped in the bleach solution!
States that none of his eggs are in the incubator unless they are washed!

The thing is 1) make sure the birds are fed well 2) make sure you clean them in clean solution and 3) don't rub the "crap" in.
Well... there, we learned something new

Can't remember what the weak solution of egg washer was, but I'll post here when I find out.

I guess it's time for me to try this out!

Strange, washing eggs... hahaha!!!
Has anyone heard of this? Or tried this?

 

[DANNY]

I have washed my eggs for many years and don't have a problem. I hatch hundreds of birds each year. I am sure not going to put dirty eggs in my incubator.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

That's interesting about the egg washing. I never wash because that's what is recommended but in the Northwest the chickens always have muddy feet and after laying they step on the egg and get mud on it (probably poo too). Or they step on the egg already in the box to lay theirs. One coop doesn't have far to travel to the laying box so the eggs are extra muddy. Still try to keep straw outside and dry shavings inside but it's a battle. I think I'm going to give it a try with the next batch to see if it affects the hatch at all.