Should I clean the eggs before I put them in the incubator, some have dirt on them

[Sharonea1959]

Should I wash the chicken eggs before I put them in the incubator

 

[Shadowfire]

You can wipe them with a dry towel if the dirt is dry as well; if there's waste you can wipe them with a wet rag. Eggs naturally have a "bloom", or protective layer, over the shell that helps to keep bacteria out. Try not to wipe off this layer unless the eggs are quite dirty. Best of luck!

 

[diamondsilkies]

It's best to not incubate super dirty eggs, as they will introduce unwanted bacteria. If you can't remove *most* of the dirt with a dry paper towel, then I would not incubate it. In my experience, getting an egg wet will remove the protective 'bloom' that keeps the embryo safe from bacteria. Good luck!

 

[Jbently28]

Believe it or not, I've had some of my dirtiest eggs hatch while others did not. These were under a broody though. But unless they are super soiled, I would leave them alone. Most of the time, the bloom will protect the eggs from any kind of bacteria and cleaning them may do more harm than good. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Knighstar679]

I have scrapped off really bad spots with my nail, or very carefully with a razor before and had the eggs hatch.

 

[CaramelKittey]

You can wipe them with a dry towel if the dirt is dry as well; if there's waste you can wipe them with a wet rag. Eggs naturally have a "bloom", or protective layer, over the shell that helps to keep bacteria out. Try not to wipe off this layer unless the eggs are quite dirty. Best of luck!

X2

 

[RoosterML]

No