Muddy eggs and staggered hatch...should be a rock song.

[kvmommy]

I just got some awesome blue, olive and brown eggs and 2 turkey eggs for free!!! But due to our awful wet and freezing muddy New England weather the chickens and turkeys dragged mud all over the eggs. None of its poop but its splashed with a thin layer of mud. I know most of you disagree with washing them...but in this case what do you think? Also I have eggs on day 12, can I add these ones without ruining them? I have another incubator and its homemade...but it needs adjustment. What do you great minds think?

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I'd set up the homemade one as a hatcher if it can maintain the humidity. Temp is not as important at hatch. Thats the set up I have. Just move the older eggs into it when its time for lockdown. Don't forget to mark them LOL. As far as the muddy eggs go I'd just rinse them off with very warm water and let them air dry. Don't wipe them. Good luck on your hatch.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

The temp is still imporant during the hatching period, but not as important as during the incubation period. I think I would go ahead and wash the eggs, and then incubate them and hope for the best. Since you said you had some eggs on day 12, those will oviously hatch first so I would just let them hatch in the homemade 'bator, then when this batch is ready to go into lockdown you can just let them hatch in the incubator they're in. Good luck!!

~Aspen