Is it safe to feed clear eggs or eggs that quit after incubating?

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

I add a fresh egg or two to my chickens' grain mix every day and am wondering if it would be OK to use the eggs that have quit or are clear even after a week or two of incubation. The eggs don't smell bad, they just aren't developing but have been warmed for some period of time. Would these be safe to add to feed?

 

[Chipper]

I would not do it.Incubators are great breeding grounds for bacteria and molds that are not good for your chickens.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Yes. In fact, in the days when most people raised their own food, those same "clears" were used for human consumption.
But it is always best to pre-cook any eggs before adding them to the chickens feed, for safety reasons.

Well, that, and you don't want to give the chicken any ideas about raw eggs... know what I mean?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi Nancy! I hardboil my clears and feed them back to my chickens --- the quitters (blood rings, etc), I discard.

Lisa
Quote:
*edit: Waves... Hi neighbor!*

 

[patandchickens]

It's got a long history to it, so my feeling is it's safe for at least the first 4-5 days as long as the eggs are cooked before use. I scramble clears, microwave them in a bowl, and feed them back to the chickens. One could in principle use them for baking, even, but personally I do not see me ever being *that* hard up for eggs

I would not, personally, feed back eggs that have been in the incubator for longer than a week, not even with cooking. I am sure you could usually do it without problem but it only takes a few of the wrong bacteria to make it through the cooking process to cause a real problem with the flock.

Pat

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
*edit: Waves... Hi neighbor!*

* Hey yourself! * It was thought you had fallen off the face of the earth. I tried calling, left messages etc. Finally, Vicky let me know you weren't dead yet. Glad to "see" you!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
And it was in fact done, as you say, in baking, puddings, stews and so on. Most of those really old poultry books I'm always reading suggest it.

"Waste Not, Want Not," you know.

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Interesting! So, the consensus seems to be is that it is OK to use the eggs, although I see that everyone says that they should be cooked first. I have to admit that I don't usually cook the eggs! I've just always added the raw eggs! I crack them and dump the insides into the grain mix and crumble up the shell to tiny pieces and stir it all up real good, but I don't normally cook the eggs. Once in a great while, I'll hard cook or scramble eggs for a treat or for sick or new birds but my breeding flock normally just gets raw eggs mixed with their food. I take it this is not good....

huh!

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Certain diseases are common in uncooked eggs... that's the real issue. But if you are feeding by lot and not free choice, so they eat it up quickly, it may be fine.

 

[duckluck]

Me, I'd be worried that my ducks would get ideas about how to serve their own "breakfast"...I've already had them eat one egg that got broken before anyone got out there and I wouldn't want them making the connection! Laying=breakfast time!