Poopy eggs!

[Newchickgrandma]

I just received a package from 3 states away with 25 bantam sicilian buttercup eggs! 4 were cracked or broken, but almost all of them have some poop and a few have raw egg on them. What is the safest way to clean them off? It seemed like most of the air cells were stable when I candled them. Also what have you heard about hydrogen peroxide?

 

[Newchickgrandma]

Bump

 

[BDutch]

From reading from other people: Best clean very carefully, just the dirty spots with a moist cloth. Don't wash. Don’t use any soap or detergents.
The bloom should stay intact.

 

[Debbie292d]

I wrote an article about sterilizing eggs which is in my signature, but even that wouldn't do it if there's yolk all over them.

I guess I'd rinse them quickly to get the wet stuff off then pat dry with a paper towel and set out to completely dry. You do not want to rub anything on them like a wash rag or you'll risk harming the bloom. What you don't get will just dry on there. You could then try pick off any remaining chunks. I incubated duck eggs once that were completely filthy and full of dried mud. I picked off what I could. It was pretty gross.

 

[Newchickgrandma]

I wrote an article about sterilizing eggs which is in my signature, but even that wouldn't do it if there's yolk all over them.

I guess I'd rinse them quickly to get the wet stuff off then pat dry with a paper towel and set out to completely dry. You do not want to rub anything on them like a wash rag or you'll risk harming the bloom. What you don't get will just dry on there. You could then try pick off any remaining chunks. I incubated duck eggs once that were completely filthy and full of dried mud. I picked off what I could. It was pretty gross.

Were the babies ok?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I wouldn't wash them....I read that it removes the egg's natural defenses of bacterial entry, and the water will provides an "environment" that allows organisms to crawl in and out of the shell pores, resulting in egg contamination and a dead embryo.

 

[Debbie292d]

Were the babies ok?

Yes they were. I still have them. The proof is in the article.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm going to confess that I'm totally ignorant in this matter, but I have a question here. I understand you want the bloom to remain intact if the egg is going to be hatched under a broody hen, it gets hot and sweaty and all kinds of nasty under there. But ... if you're going to hatch eggs in a near-sterile environment such as an incubator, indoors ... is it still necessary to be all that protective of the bloom? Has anybody tried hatching eggs (in an incubator) that had been washed because they were dirty, and reported the results? Did dirty, unwashed eggs fare better or worse than eggs that had been cleaned?

 

[SilverBirds]

I've hatched eggs that had much more poop/mud on them than that. I'd use a warm wet rag or paper towel and try and wipe off the ones with yolk, but leave the others alone.

 

[Newchickgrandma]

I'm going to confess that I'm totally ignorant in this matter, but I have a question here. I understand you want the bloom to remain intact if the egg is going to be hatched under a broody hen, it gets hot and sweaty and all kinds of nasty under there. But ... if you're going to hatch eggs in a near-sterile environment such as an incubator, indoors ... is it still necessary to be all that protective of the bloom? Has anybody tried hatching eggs (in an incubator) that had been washed because they were dirty, and reported the results? Did dirty, unwashed eggs fare better or worse than eggs that had been cleaned?

This is a great question. It's my first time and I have tried to read about things but now the eggs are here I have so many questions!