Washing the eggs before incubation?

[Sylviaanne]

I have read it both ways but was wondering about the hatch rate of washed eggs vs unwashed and if anyone who washes or washed their eggs before incubation thinks it is a problem?

It is so muddy and dirty here that the eggs in the henhouse in the hay are dirty and I hate to put them in the incubator like that. I don't know if the dirty eggshells are likely to cause a problem with the hatchlings or not. Yes, I don't like the look of them in the incubator like that but I'm worried about those sharp edges and the babies.

I have Guinea eggs that I want to put on tomorrow. Comments please. Thanks, Sylvia

 

[gimmie birdies]

I don't wash eggs, but I don't put in dirty eggs either.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I have washed eggs a few times with plain water for both broody hens and incubators. I once scrubbed some super filthy quail eggs so harshly with a small brush that the speckles washed off and left the eggs pure white. The hatch rate didn't seem to differ much from unwashed eggs.
That was my experience, don't take it as me saying it's ok to wash eggs before incubating. Luckily I have enough eggs that I can be picky and cull out all but the most pristine ones for hatching.

 

[Sylviaanne]

I don't wash eggs, but I don't put in dirty eggs either.

How do you avoid dirty eggs?

The land here is so gooey that when it rains, which it has a lot lately, they must get it on their feathers as well as their feet. Sylvia

 

[Lizz9311]

How do you avoid dirty eggs?

The land here is so gooey that when it rains, which it has a lot lately, they must get it on their feathers as well as their feet. Sylvia

I'm having the same problem after it rains. I picked up some "egg wipes" at TSC today and plan to try those if necessary. I'll be marking which ones get cleaned before incubation too.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Having the nest boxes in a dry coop with clean dry straw or other bedding on the floor goes a long way toward keeping the hens feet clean on rainy days. Gathering the eggs more times on rainy days also helps because the less time the eggs spend in the nestbox with dirty hens the cleaner the eggs will be.
I don't have a coop, just an open air pen with a piece of tin over the roost & nest boxes and it's near impossible for me to get clean eggs on a rainy day.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I live in eastern WA state. dry as a bone here. when chickens have droppings it dries up before it hits the ground.

 

[Sylviaanne]

I'm having the same problem after it rains. I picked up some "egg wipes" at TSC today and plan to try those if necessary. I'll be marking which ones get cleaned before incubation too.

Please, I would be interested in how this works out for you. If your hatch rate is any different. Thanks, Sylvia

 

[Sylviaanne]

Having the nest boxes in a dry coop with clean dry straw or other bedding on the floor goes a long way toward keeping the hens feet clean on rainy days. Gathering the eggs more times on rainy days also helps because the less time the eggs spend in the nestbox with dirty hens the cleaner the eggs will be.
I don't have a coop, just an open air pen with a piece of tin over the roost & nest boxes and it's near impossible for me to get clean eggs on a rainy day.

Thank you. This land out here is not flat for long. It is beautiful and lush green in the spring, summer and fall but when it rains, the dirt is clay. I have a henhouse that doesn't have any nesting boxes yet, just hay on the floor about shin deep. They have dug out 2 nesting spots and most everyone lays in one nest with one or 2 laying in the other one. Even the ducks go in and lay in the bigger nest. At this time, I smell a foul odor so I have to clean out their nest and remove whatever egg/egg mess is in it. The hay is clean other than that. I just don't have the money or the skills to build nesting boxes so I will have to wait for a little bit of money to make nesting boxes out of plastic totes. Looks easy but probably isn't. Thanks, Sylvia

 

[gimmie birdies]

it is a bummer when you lose a chick
.


i candled her eggs and removed 3 - 2 were cracked, one stopped developing. they are due on 9th, 14th, 17th, I will remove as they hatch.