Why do chickens poop on their eggs?

[MikasGirl]

I was wondering what I should do about this little problem. I mean, yes, chickens poop everywhere but my hens seem to always get poop on their eggs and then I cannot get it off... One time I had to scrub it so hard with a toothbrush that the egg cracked! Anyway any suggestions for washing the eggs or keeping the nasties off the eggs?
Thanks!
-Cass

 

[silkiechicken]

To keep the eggs clean, try to make sure nobody is sleeping in the nest. Hens sleeping in the nest is the most common reason for poopy eggs. If they are new layers, they might not quite have it down either, so if nobody is sleeping in the nest, the problem should clear up soon.

As for cleaning poopy eggs, if they are really bad, just soak them for a bit in water that is warmer than the egg. Warmer than the egg won't push things through the pores, and you can later just rinse it off, no scrubbing required. Ideally though, wash just before use for optimal storage time.