Nest cleanliness

[stickman]

My sitting hen constantly poops in her nest box and of coarse it gets on the eggs. I clean it out daily but I did not know if i should wash off the eggs. Will it hurt t have "dirty eggs".

 

[scarter]

When our eggs start getting dirty we just add more hay to the boxes. If I'm using the eggs I leave the dirtiness. If I give them away then I wash them depending on how bad they are. I try to leave them alone as much as possible.

 

[Lady_Cluck]

A little dirt won’t hurt. The secret to clean eggs is cleaning the nest boxes often (as you are doing) and collecting often, sometimes two to three times a day. However, dirty eggs can still occur no matter how clean or efficient you are. In that case, I use my thumb and a paper towel to gently rub over the dirt and coax it to come off of the egg. I’ve also heard about using a fine grit sandpaper to remove some of the dirt, but I’ve never tried that.

If you still need to wash, be careful – washing takes away the protective barrier on the shell, allowing bacteria to enter. This article is helpful and gives a good “how to” on washing eggs properly, such as washing the egg in water that is at least 20°F warmer than the egg: http://askville.amazon.com/clean-ch...nths-laying/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=4966151

 

[dancingbear]

Are you referring to a broody hen pooping on the eggs she's incubating? It didn't sound like you meant eggs for eating or selling, but am I mistaken?

If you're talking about a broody, I'd wash them, then take her off the nest once a day and put her in front of the food and water. Some broodies need a brief training period, they usually catch on after a few days of being taken off the nest for a break.

There are those who say never wash hatching eggs, but I do it often, and they still hatch. The bacteria and digestive enzymes are a bigger threat to the embryo than being washed. The "bloom" gets rubbed off by the hen's belly anyway. A little soap and water is really not a problem. You should see what commercial hatcheries do to them, and they still hatch.