Is it ok to wash hens clutch of eggs?

[Creciaa10]

My hens clutch of eggs are covered in what looks to be egg yolk. I’m pretty sure her egg that was laid today got eaten. Since the eggs are covered in yellow gunk they are also covered in ants. Is it okay to wash them or will they be fine as is? I didn’t know if the ants would cause problems in the nest box or with the chickens

 

[demonic]

My hens clutch of eggs are covered in what looks to be egg yolk. I’m pretty sure her egg that was laid today got eaten. Since the eggs are covered in yellow gunk they are also covered in ants. Is it okay to wash them or will they be fine as is? I didn’t know if the ants would cause problems in the nest box or with the chickens

I mean you should remove the eggs anyway because they will continue to eat the raw yolk and will make it a habit since now they know yolk is in the egg. I don’t think ants are a problem. Clean up everything in case though and maybe move her to another area

 

[LaFleche]

How far along are the eggs?

If it is early days, I would start anew: clean up everything and separate the broody with a fresh nest to where other hens will not be able to add to her clutch.

 

[LaFleche]

And by the way: Welcome to BYC @Creciaa10

 

[Creciaa10]

How far along are the eggs?

If it is early days, I would start anew: clean up everything and separate the broody with a fresh nest to where other hens will not be able to add to her clutch.

About a week old

 

[Creciaa10]

And by the way: Welcome to BYC @Creciaa10

Thanks! Every time I type any question pertaining to my chickens forums from this site come up so I finally just made my own account

 

[LaFleche]

About a week old

I'd start anew. And make it a thick layer of nice softwood shavings under the nest with lots of preformed hay on top.

 

[LaFleche]

Sprinkle lots of wood ashes mixed with baking powder underneath the nest and around it to prevent ants and poultry mites. Mites love to feed on broodies and can even drive them from the nest or leave them dead from anaemia.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

How far along are the eggs?

If it is early days, I would start anew: clean up everything and separate the broody with a fresh nest to where other hens will not be able to add to her clutch.

I agree on starting anew with clean eggs, since they are only 1 week along. Eggshells are porous, & the egg yolk could introduce bacteria which will contaminate and kill the embryo/chick as it develops. If only a few days from hatching, you could have washed the eggs with warm water and hoped for the best.

Either way, the ants are Definitely a problem. Since they have already found the nestbox, its almost guarranteed they will attack and kill future chicks as they are hatching. There are numerous threads on byc about ants attacking hatching chicks. (Happens in the wild too.) Due to byc horror stories, Ive always dusted hatching nestboxes with poultry dust (permethrin is active ingredient), & also dusted the broody pen perimeter with sevin dust to repel the ants. The ONE time i didnt do so was last summer 2020 when i ran out of dust. Thought it would surely be ok just that once. It was not. Went to check on a broody that summer morn, and discovered a just-hatched dead chick underneath her covered in ants. Plus another egg/chick crushed due to fact broody was squirming because ants were crawling on and likely stinging her belly too. Like wood ash, Poultry dust is safe for chickens and chicks, & will deter mites and lice too. (Not sure if wood ash is strong enough to repel ants, but probably not).

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I just saw @LaFleche says wood ash and baking soda IS strong enough to repel ants. Ive never tried that since dont know.