Moma's dirty eggs, clean them?

[citychicken1]

I have a broody hen. She is setting on 6 lovely little eggs, except that three of them have poo on them. Just found it today and it was the thick runny type and it had already dried on. I took the edge of a knife and scraped of what I could. My question is should I try to clean off what is left or leave it alone? If I were to clean off the rest, what is the safest way to accomplish this? This is my first "hatch", so many questions!

 

[debilorrah]

Leave it. The mama hen knows more about hatching chicks that any human ever will.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have no broody hen experience, but I wouldn't disturb that broody trance!

 

[RedneckChikns]

I have plenty of broody hens...mama knows best...dont expect the scraped eggs to hatch as you have just damaged the porous lining of the egg and bacteria can now move in. If you are feeling she is being a really messy mom just move her (get out your potholder gloves as she is not going to be happy) and her eggs, dump her nesting straw and fill it with LOTS OF fresh hay and plop the eggs and her back in....that will go a long way to help keeping the eggs clean. If a hen is broody, trust me, you arent going to make he go un broody by changing her nesting straw.