To wash, or not to wash, THAT is the question

[Gypsy07]

I have done some experimenting and careful record keeping with washed vs. unwashed eggs (all from my own birds) and I've found that I get a consistently better hatching result with the washed ones. Then again, the one and only horrible rotten egg I've ever had was one that I'd washed, so who knows...

I rinse mine under a hot tap and rub to remover any dirt, then I dunk them in a hot dilute bleach solution for about 10-15 seconds. then I rinse off, again under hot running water and pat dry with kitchen towel. And after that I don't touch the eggs by hand until I'm candling at days 6, 12 and 18 (don't like candling and handling them with gloves on) and I make sure to scrub well with antibacterial soap before I go anywhere near them.

 

[southerndesert]

A.T. Hagan :

I wash mine under warm running water with soap then sanitize them. Dry then set.

X-2 here.....​

 

[Bantam Username]

Just out of interest, would Dettol be ok to wash the eggs with?

 

[rarely bored]

Thanks for starting this thread.
I just incubated a bunch of shipped eggs which, for my first time ever, had bacterial issues. Most of the eggs had broken yolks (scrambled in shipment, I assume) and were also full of bacteria by day 10 when I opened them up to see what was going on. One egg developed, but died early on, and when I opened that egg, it too had bacterial growth. icko! Three eggs hatched into fine looking chicks, whom are now a day and a half old.
Because I've never had the bacteria, I've been wondering from whence it came? The eggs were a little dirty, but I never thought to wash them when I got them. Then I did candle one or two extra times in the beginning to see how well I could see the egg development. If these chicks do well, I would like to get another batch from the same shipper, but do not want to have bacterial development again.
Based on HHandbasket's experience (and the experience of others, which I have read on BYC, but needed this thread to remind me) I will wash the next batch of shipped eggs.
Better write this down on my incubator, so I don't forgot.






edited cuz this must be a two coffee morning...

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
The bacteria could have entered the egg through the shell after laying, or it could have come from the hen and been inside the egg already. I'd assume that washing wouldn't make any difference to eggs that got their bacteria straight from the hen...

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
The bacteria could have entered the egg through the shell after laying, or it could have come from the hen and been inside the egg already. I'd assume that washing wouldn't make any difference to eggs that got their bacteria straight from the hen...

Sigh, too true. It would stop the spread though. Thanks. If it was an internal problem, I'd expect the seller to have consistantly low hatch rates. Part of what makes buying shipped eggs such a gamble is not knowing what type of set up the eggs are coming from...