poopy eggs!!

[mener6896]

I really don't know how to keep my eggs clean!! I keep their nesting boxes clean, but some of my girl's eggs are just nasty with poop!! Others are pristine!! Could this be because of different breeds? It's funny because they are sometimes in the same box!! are some chickens just dirty layers, and others not? I have a wide variety of breeds (8, I think) total of 31 layers, all housed together. Unless they are my EE's, I really don't know who's eggs are whose!

 

[Daisygirl]

Mabe check the girls for poopy feathers - - - there may be a problem with their bowels. Other than that, it should be ok, as the egg shell has a coating that protects it from bacteria, which will stop the poop from getting in. Unless you sell the eggs, there may not be a problem, wash them just before you use them, or put the poopy ones in a separate carton.
My girls do have nest boxes, but dont use them. I have used every trick in the book, and on this site, and have narrowed it down to three areas - - - a place a mere step away from the nest boxes, a next behind the coop, and a peculiar one; every morning Henrietta jumps to the top of the fence, jumps down, waddles accross the lawn, over the deck, up the stairs, behind a plantpot then squeezes through a gap behind a wooden statue. Then she goes back into the run, and doesnt jump over the fence for the rest of the day

Anyways, good luck!

 

[jeslewmazer]

If you are trying to eat/sell the eggs than it might be a problem. Mine get a little poopy when another hen lays and poops in another s neat, but it is easy to clean off with water. If it is a broody hen's nest I would suggest separation from the flock. This is because the other hens are coming in and sitting on the nest. A broody hen normally holds the poop. Hatching should be no problem because the broody hen will turn the eggs but be careful of different hatch dates. If you are collecting eggs for food try more nest boxes or early and late collection, depending on the laying times.

 

[mener6896]

we do eat/sell the eggs. I don't think any are broody because they are all fairly young hens (all less than a year, more like 28 weeks) Could it be because they're young layers and haven't quite figured it out yet? I have 12 nesting boxes, but they all seem to like the same ones!! Anyway, I will try to collect more than once a day, and see if this helps.