Help! Egg Question

[Just Ducky Girl]

Hello there!

So things are hairy scary around here. Two toddlers, chaotic plumbing repairs and leaks, house that is only half moved into(ie, we threw everything extra into the basement, and then when the plumbing leaked, shifted it all out of the way, so utter chaos has ensued) and another baby due in three weeks(human, yes, that's me +1 inside). I'm getting an average of 4 hours of sleep a night. My kids think they are farmers and wake up at 5 AM every morning. The only thing going smoothly is my kid's mealtimes(as smooth as toddlers' meal times can be) and our happy quackers!!! They are enjoying the higher temps here, and the sunshine we've been getting. So now to the issue at hand(literally)

It has been three days since I washed my collected eggs. No fertile ones have shown up yet, still not warm enough for there to be open water other than their two huge water dishes I fill twice daily, and due to a feed mix-up at the store, my poor drakes have been a bit under the weather. They had lost weight until I realized we'd been sold the wrong feed! (local store mixes it, and it goes into generic bags). Needless to say, somebody at the farm store got a chewing out when I found out they were "trying to finish off some stock". I'm still getting eggs from my girls, however as they all re-bound with good feed again.

So...

Since it's been three days, and yes, they've been covered in goo poo... are the eggs still alright? I'm guessing today's are just fine. Yes, we're eating them until they go fertile, then we're hatching. With it being NW WI and COLD, we like to let it warm up for the duckling hatchlings. Why am I asking? Well, I've never fallen behind like this, it's been wash, mark date, and store in fridge everyday.

Just concerned because I've never run up against this before! And we have 13 girls. I just want to know if the eggs are still safe/good for me and toddlers. I'm not scared, just wanting to double check...

Help anyone?

 

[Amiga]

Congratulations on all the good stuff, and for holding up with all the challenges!

Now I get to make the disclaimer that I am not a health department professional, just a backyard duck mommy.

I have apparently safely (I am still alive and kicking) eaten eggs that were unwashed. In fact, based on recommendations from my state department of agriculture advisor, I do not wash my duck eggs until right before I eat them.

His opinion is that washing them may actually enable bacteria to cross the shell barrier and get into the egg. So. I wipe off chunks, but otherwise do not clean the eggs before refrigerating them. Then when I use them, I run cool water over them and wipe them off before cracking them.

That's the scoop from this household. What a bunch of good energy it sounds like you have!

 

[Cluckspert13]

I wouldn't advise either of you to wash them anyways. Just like chicken eggs, it is recommended that use use some sort of gritty paper or cloth and sand off the larger chunks of "poo." This insures that the extra layer of protection that covers the eggs will not be removed and bacteria won't seep into the eggs. If you ever incubate a washed egg, you will MOST LIKELY see little clear splotches in the egg which indicate a bacteria invaded egg. So, all in all, I wouldn't advise washing your eggs if you would like to have healthy, more fresh eggs!

 

[Amiga]

I wouldn't advise either of you to wash them anyways. Just like chicken eggs, it is recommended that use use some sort of gritty paper or cloth and sand off the larger chunks of "poo." This insures that the extra layer of protection that covers the eggs will not be removed and bacteria won't seep into the eggs. If you ever incubate a washed egg, you will MOST LIKELY see little clear splotches in the egg which indicate a bacteria invaded egg. So, all in all, I wouldn't advise washing your eggs if you would like to have healthy, more fresh eggs!

That's why I don't remove anything till immediately before cracking them open. You know how sometimes those of us who are a little clumsy manage to drizzle some of the egg white on the outside of the eggshell? And how sometimes a bit of eggshell falls into the pan? That's why I at least damp wipe a schmootzy egg before opening it. Most of mine have little to no poop on them.

I was going to ask - - - Just Ducky Girl, might they need more or different bedding if the eggs are poopy? Most of our eggs are clean. We use shavings and/or straw and the ducks often make their own little nesty places that stay very clean.

 

[Cluckspert13]

That's why I don't remove anything till immediately before cracking them open. You know how sometimes those of us who are a little clumsy manage to drizzle some of the egg white on the outside of the eggshell? And how sometimes a bit of eggshell falls into the pan? That's why I at least damp wipe a schmootzy egg before opening it. Most of mine have little to no poop on them.

I was going to ask - - - Just Ducky Girl, might they need more or different bedding if the eggs are poopy? Most of our eggs are clean. We use shavings and/or straw and the ducks often make their own little nesty places that stay very clean.

Washing them before you eat them is okay as long as you don't leave it lying around. I also agree that there shouldn't be too much "poo" on the eggs if it is cleaned regularly or you use the proper nesting materials. Might consider pine shavings since they are absorbent!

 

[Just Ducky Girl]

Thanks gals! We had a feed issue, and were having extra splatty problems and they stayed inside all day(it was negatives two weeks ago), hence, VERY messy eggs. They are deep bedded in shavings and straw because of our extremely cold winters(about a good 10-12 inches easily). I clean the house weekly at least. Yes, the eggs are usually PERFECTLY clean. Scotch brite rub and I only rinse them when there is too much poo goo adhered. They are in a shared pen with 5 drakes(sweet boys, I might add, but MESSY) and have a huge house, but we've got one old gal that can't control her poo, and she's always broody, and a great sitter... so she steals the eggs and puts them in her nest. I have to really hustle to keep on top of her in the mornings. But we're putting her on a conditoner diet, and things have improved!

Should have said these are "chocolate coated eggs" to clarify. Right before easter, ha ha

Just got back from the farm store and bawling them out about giving me starter/grower(chicken feed) for my adult ducks. Husband kindly picked it up, but the gal loaded the wrong stuff and we've had them drop weight and stop laying and get weak. Now we're back on track. Poor babes!