Experiment: Washed Vs. Unwashed

[DawnM]

Quote:
Oh would love to know the results of that. I am not that fond of the whole bleach thing. The big chicken farms might use it but they also keep their chickens penned up and shoot them up with shots too.

I would too. If your getting a different incubator too that would be even better, especially if you get somewhat the same results. I'm not sure if the hatcheries use bleach or not, they keep things pretty quiet, but from the hints I got I'm pretty sure that's what they do. Maybe it's because I have been a swimmer my whole life and spent lots of time in chlorine water that I don't see bleach as being a big deal, especially since it's just watered down chlorine. Most of the bleached eggs all hatched happy and healthy. If variables were changed and the same results turned up that would be really cool though.

 

[GypsyLadyBC]

I wash my eggs in a GSE solution. I don't think bleach is a good idea. Bleach is very toxic.
Alicia of Grand Forks BC

 

[ReikiStar]

I wash my eggs in a GSE solution. I don't think bleach is a good idea. Bleach is very toxic.
Alicia of Grand Forks BC

What is the composition of your solution? We just rinse our eggs but if there is a better way to get more cooties off, would love to know. We provide GSE to our grown chickens as a supplement so would be up for using it on hatching eggs if I knew how to use it as a solution.

 

[gracie02]

I would be interested in this GSE solution too. Also, where do you get it in larger amounts that isn't really expensive?

 

[Bitterroot]

I've always bought GSE off amazon for the best prices. One 8 oz bottle lasts a looong time. I use it for sprouts and washing fruit, but I can see how it could be handy for washing eggs. Not sure what the dilution would be, though.

I've been using F10 disinfectant to wash my eggs before setting. A friend who has been hatching and raising peregrines since before I was born swears by the stuff, and I already had it on hand for other stuff. So far so good.

 

[Barred4Life]

Next time I put a batch in the incubator I will try this chlorine solution...I will wash all my eggs as one could think that the unwashed eggs carried bacteria over to the washed eggs...right?! I'll post my results!

 

[delisha]

Don't forget that hens do not wash the eggs. The eggs are protected by a *bloom*. Once they are washed, the bloom no longer exists. Nature has a way that works for a reason.
Question about the experiment..I think it is wonderful the experiment was performed. Very educational for your children.
Did you check to see if the washed eggs were sanitized and all debris was removed or just rinsed and surface debris removed? Did you use a scrub pad or anything besides dunking to clean the eggs?

How many had blood rings?

At what stage/day did the embryos die?

Why did the embryos die?(did you perform an eggtopsy?)

Were any deaths attributed to any hereditary defect?

Did you consider cross contamination from bleached eggs to natural eggs?

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

I would suggest a larger sample size, and/or to redo the experiment as many times as is feasible. Grab a stats book from your library and look for a p value of <.5 (I think is the normal accepted value in research - it has been a while since I took my stats class).

Also consider that those unwashed that did not hatch, if the reason they did not hatch was due to a pathogen exposure, that embryo is less resistant to that pathogen.
Those that did hatch despite the presence of the pathogen may be superior in resistance to that pathogen. With the unwashed eggs you may be allowing for evolution through natural selection.

Very interesting experiment