UV-C sanitation

[WalnutHill]

Has anyone here incorporated UV-C into egg, incubator, or hatcher sterilization?

With the batch of eggs in the incubator, I soaked half of the refrigerated purchased eggs in a strong bleach water solution, and did not soak the other half. That was after using the edge of a credit card to scrape dried manure off any soiled eggs. I did not scrub the eggs or wipe them dry so as to disturb the cuticle as little as possible, I just let them air dry.

I see no visible difference in air cell development with dipped and undipped eggs, nor with eggs from my hens vs the refrigerated eggs. So from this small test sample, I am confident that bleach is not a terrible thing to use.

I'm confident that the use of UV-C to kill bacteria and molds is very effective, but I am not sure how well it would work in an incubator environment. Where in the airflow would be the best place to place it, or would it be better in a still area to promote the air lingering a little longer?

 

[1muttsfan]

Are you thinking of adding bleach inside the incubator during incubation? Because bleach is a dangerous chemical, and adding it to warm air circulated by a fan will result in constant gas exposure which will certainly penetrate into the egg.

Make sure the solution you use to soak the eggs is around 20 degrees warmer than the egg temp, so that chemicals are not drawn through the pores into the egg.

 

[WalnutHill]

Are you thinking of adding bleach inside the incubator during incubation? Because bleach is a dangerous chemical, and adding it to warm air circulated by a fan will result in constant gas exposure which will certainly penetrate into the egg.

Make sure the solution you use to soak the eggs is around 20 degrees warmer than the egg temp, so that chemicals are not drawn through the pores into the egg.

No, no, I just dipped the eggs in warm bleach water for 30 seconds like you would dye an Easter egg. Then I set them on a wire rack to air dry at room temperature, followed by pre-warming on top of the incubator to bring them up as close as possible to incubation temperature before setting to avoid condensation, as these eggs had been refrigerated for up to 12 days.

My questions was regarding using a UV-C sterilizer during incubation. Air passes through it and is sterilized via exposure to intense UV-C light. Left constantly running in the incubator, it should help reduce the number of mold spores, bacteria and viruses that may be in the air stream. Naturally it can't kill anything it cannot reach, so a secondary method of disinfection would be necessary in the water tray and in the incubator cabinet between hatches. I use the restaurant scrub, rinse, bleach and air dry method. But it has no effectiveness in reducing contamination over the next three weeks. That is where I would hope the UV-C would help.

 

[WalnutHill]

I ordered the UV-C sterilizer and plugged into a receptacle in my office. I LOVE this thing. I suffer from allergies and I find my sinuses are clear...amazingly clear...after I sit in my office for a couple of hours. It's my own personal reduced allergen zone. The air smells...clean. I don't know how to describe it. Not like filtered air, I guess more like ionized air, but no static or humidity change.

It's still early in allergy season, and time will tell.

 

[Bradfordj]

Think of what's in the air in the coop when a broody hatches her own. I cant imagine there is a direct correlation between air quality and hatch results in the incubator (providing vents are open and fresh air is being drawn I, and not left stagnant). That's just my opinion. I think direct contact from manure or other organism on the egg cause a much greater risk than anything air born.