THE MOTHER'S DAY HATCH-A-LONG!!!! The last day to join in and set eggs with us is April 28th.

[yinepu]

THis is my opinion. THe big hatcheries always sanitize the eggs; yes it removes the blooms, it also removes the probable germs like bacteria and molds in that dirt. THis is incubating a the perfect temperature of 100, this is pretty close to the temps used to grow bacteria and yeasts and other molds in those cabinet incubators used in high school biology classes.

I recently received a number of eggs that were dirty. Mostly fecal material. I washed them in warm water to remove the material.

THe next step I would like to take is to use an appropriate saniitizer when necessary. One person uses diluted Iodine solutions. I suspect soaps are not the way to go because of residues. I need more information on a suitable sanitizer.

Many people recoment a light buffing with a small fingernail file to remive spots of material. You would be sanding all night! I did need to wash a number of eggs because an egg broke and covered the other eggs. And in that case the dried albumen and yolk clogs the pores. = dead chicks.

Cleanliness is important. If you wash your hands befor touching the eggs to turn or candling, what is the point if the eggs are so dirty.

I washed the dirtiest of the eggs I received, not all the eggs, just any with the obvious mud. I just didn't need to grow the indigenous bacteria, etc.

Many will disagree with me. I just know that eggs invaded by mold or bacteria can overwhelm the eggs ability to hold off invaders and die off.

lol.. the big hatcheries have a LOT of rotten eggs in their bators too! .. I know that for a fact since I used to work at some of them... (transferring eggs from the incubators to the hatchers always resulted in lots of loud pops and the wonderful aroma of rotten eggs as the eggs were flipped from incubator trays to hatcher trays).

I do wash my hands before candling or turning eggs.. just makes sense to remove my bacteria plus any oils on my skin.. but all I ever do for eggs is brush off any loose gunk and spray the eggs down with Oxine since the majority of the bacteria that causes rotten eggs would enter the pores of the shell as the egg was cooling right after being laid.

since I have 90 to 100% hatch rates on home grown eggs.. and fairly decent hatch rates on shipped ones (so long as the post office hasn't blended the egg contents) I must be doing something right that works for my incubation methods...

and as I have said many times before.. to each his own.. some people feel the need to scrub down eggs.. some want to sand them.. some wash under hot water and soak in a bleach solution... I just brush mine off and spritz.. lol

 

[Cynthia12]

Yep, she's a mille fleur banty cochin ^_^

Oh man..I have two of those eggs in my bator for this hatch a long..hope they look like her! Seller put two extra eggs in besides the Silkies...crossing fingers I get a girl cochin..those are very pretty.

 

[crazypetlady]

here are my egg photos

 

[1hotmoma]

My dear hubby helped me to build a new brooder for my babies. Hopefully by the time the bator babies hatch, my babies now will be in a new coop. I just keep adding things to my list for all my chickens.

 

[Cynthia12]

here are my egg photos

Lots!

 

[1hotmoma]

crazypetlady, I am overwhelmed by the amount of eggs you have going.

I was thinking I was going over board with the amount I have. I guess not. With in the next week I will be also setting turkey eggs. I have no idea what I am doing.

 

[AmyLou1782]

I just candled my 6 eggs under my broody and all six are developing! This is my first time hatching my own babies so I am way excited! I also went to the Carolina Chickenstock today and brought home 5 BLRW chicks, 2 EE chicks, and a 14 month old peacock for my peahen!

 

[Arielle]

Quote:
I realized when I wrote my response that egg cleaning is a hot topic. Hence I started with "in my opinion" LOL

I think you have hit on the sanitizer to use. Ozine is a very strong and very safe sanitizer ; if I remember it is an oxidizer and bacteria and molds can't withstand the effects: damage to their cellular walls. Spores I'm not so sure about.

THe 90-100% hatch rates attest to the effectiveness of the oxine. Clearly there is value in killing the bacteria.

 

[crazypetlady]

crazypetlady, I am overwhelmed by the amount of eggs you have going.

I was thinking I was going over board with the amount I have. I guess not. With in the next week I will be also setting turkey eggs. I have no idea what I am doing.

Thats not even the end of it I have more in my styro bator and brinsea. at least I sold the other styro bator and brinsea. . I plan to sell the styro after these current eggs are done.

 

[Arielle]

here are my egg photos

I'm looking at the rack holding the eggs. Is this in 2 parts? screen and rick rack? LOL Don't know what else to call it. I like how it holds eggs semi-upright.