Poop staining eggs

[Beaglegal]

My Rouen duck and her offspring (mixes) lay an off white egg. The problem is that after she lays, she poops on the eggs (they are all laid together in a clutch). I’m wondering if she does this to disguise them or keep me from taking them? I try to wash them off but the poop stains the eggshells almost instantly and they look rather gross after. I have a lot of duck eggs and was thinking of selling some or at least giving some away as gifts, but they aren’t presentable like this. Any tips on how to get the stains out?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

My Rouen duck and her offspring (mixes) lay an off white egg. The problem is that after she lays, she poops on the eggs (they are all laid together in a clutch). I’m wondering if she does this to disguise them or keep me from taking them? I try to wash them off but the poop stains the eggshells almost instantly and they look rather gross after. I have a lot of duck eggs and was thinking of selling some or at least giving some away as gifts, but they aren’t presentable like this. Any tips on how to get the stains out?

I have laying ducks, too, and find that poop-stained eggs can just "come with the territory". You may have better luck trying to get them to lay in clean nesting material and collecting the eggs soon after they're laid - and if you can encourage them to not all lay in the same spot, the eggs should remain cleaner.

Also, I were being gifted farm fresh duck eggs, I doubt I'd be taken aback by some shell discoloration. Best of luck!

 

[Beaglegal]

I have laying ducks, too, and find that poop-stained eggs can just "come with the territory". You may have better luck trying to get them to lay in clean nesting material and collecting the eggs soon after they're laid - and if you can encourage them to not all lay in the same spot, the eggs should remain cleaner.

Also, I were being gifted farm fresh duck eggs, I doubt I'd be taken aback by some shell discoloration. Best of luck!

Unfortunately she tends to poop on them right after laying. She also plays hide the clutch (so it can take me a bit to find them), she did this before her offspring started laying and she seems to be teaching them to do this as well. On the bright side I have at least one who seems to have inherited the Cayuga egg coloring, had my first dark grey egg yesterday. It wasn’t stained like the others

 

[chickens really]

I never allow my layers to actually collect a clutch of eggs if I'm wanting to use. I collect the eggs each morning. I destroy each nest each time I collect too. Mine are penned in so lay in certain places.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Poop happens I collect daily an clean my coops daily I rarely get a duck egg that hasn’t gotten some poop on it. I wipe with a damp paper towel anything that will come off easy and wash just before using .

 

[Beaglegal]

I never allow my layers to actually collect a clutch of eggs if I'm wanting to use. I collect the eggs each morning. I destroy each nest each time I collect too. Mine are penned in so lay in certain places.

I got 5 duck eggs this morning, all buried under the hay in a little clutch. If I don’t find them all from the day before, there can be more. They don’t really have a chance to build up much, but they have a larger barn area to lay in

 

[Beaglegal]

Poop happens I collect daily an clean my coops daily I rarely get a duck egg that hasn’t gotten some poop on it. I wipe with a damp paper towel anything that will come off easy and wash just before using .

I just wanted them to look nicer for people who might be more squeamish... that’s all

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh I understand I try an clean mine up before giving them away but only my chicken eggs look really nice. I’ve never given mine as a gift though.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I just wanted them to look nicer for people who might be more squeamish... that’s all

I can appreciate that - it's just an uphill battle, IMO.

 

[featherhead007]

White semi-gloss spray paint? Kidding of course!