To wash or not to wash?

[Sarah Meaders]

As I practice and learn all I can about chicken breeding, I am weighing the option of washing hatching eggs vs not washing. I have read testimonials on both sides. This group has always given me very good answers from experience, not just research. So please, share with me which you do, why, your success rate, and if you DO wash, what you wash with? Thank you in advance! I am going to be setting my second batch of my layer flock eggs next week with incubation adjustments made so all answers are so very appreciated!!

[Paul]

  We recommend to wash all hatching eggs!  We use 6 1/2 oz. of Oxine per gallon water to disinfect the eggs.  You do not want to get a bacteria in your incubator!  It's much better to try to prevent rather than try to cure.  If the eggs are clean they are just dipped in then out of the solution.  We have been doing this since Jan. 2004.  It was required at that time by the Texas Animal Health Commission, due to a problem that has been eliminated for over eleven years.

  The GQF Manufacturing Co. also recommends washing hatching eggs with a disinfectant.

[Birdcrazy]

I like Paul wash my hatching eggs but with Tek-Trol with no adverse reactions. I also use this product to disinfect my incubator and hatcher between hatchings.

[Susan Mouw]

Is this what you use, Gordon?
http://www.qcsupply.com/tek-trol-disinfectant.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KEQjw0fOoBRDn88Pol8bqhN0BEiQARGVJKqqF_h5KuV6i2fRMC_4jol1RMbWZBY_TZTO_qqGeZzkaAmF38P8HAQ

[Birdcrazy]

Yes Susan, that is the product that I use. I buy mine from Smith Poultry and Game Bird Supply in Bucyrus Ks as I can buy it in quart size and by the time you dilute it I have a supply that lasts me many months.

[Sarah Meaders]

Did any of y'all once NOT wash, and then begin to? Did you notice a significant difference in hatch rate and chick survival?

[Mindy and Tom Best]

Sarah, I never washed my eggs and recently purchased Tek-Trol after gaining information from this same topic on the forum.(fyi I love the smell of Tek-Trol!) I used it on three hatches and cleaned my incubator with it between hatches. I found no difference in my hatch rate but felt better  about disinfecting my incubator. What I have learned is I hatch on a pretty small scale to most and my coops and nesting boxes are very clean (except for the mud when it rains). I have hatched for many years (small scale) and had one rotten egg ever. I could smell it starting to turn. If you candle its a good time for your nose to tell you if you have a bad egg.

[Lee G]

Did any of y'all once NOT wash, and then begin to? Did you notice a significant difference in hatch rate and chick survival?

I'm actually the reverse! I used to wash all my hatching eggs in warm water with bleach, but no longer bother when collecting from the home flock. My reasoning is one year I did an experiment, washed half, left half al'natural, and discovered no noticeable difference in my hatch rates or chick hardiness. So laziness wins now. lol I do use a separate incubator strictly for hatching though...that way my setting incubators always stay clean and pristine. A few drops of oxine in the water reservoir also works wonders to combat any kind of bacteria growth. 

I would probably wash any hatching eggs obtained from outside though.
Good luck! 

[Don]

Sarah, I can't compare the washed vs unwashed hatches, I have never done a comparison
We had never "washed" eggs because of the advice in old incubator instructions, "do not wash hatching eggs".
But a few years back I received a box of eggs from a breeder with several broken eggs which had leaked onto a good number of the other eggs.  We put the eggs in a plastic egg tray and let them sit in a bath of luke warm Clorox water mixture for a few minutes.  I did not have high hopes for the hatch, but was very pleased with a great hatch.  So now we do this to most of our eggs before setting the incubator.

I've not been a fan of Tektrol after reading the warning label, But do use Oxine and Clorox.  Even with these two I do the treatment outside and let the trays sit on a solid surface so they can drain fully before carrying them into the house and incubator.

But I really don't consider this washing because it simply treats the bacteria from the outside of the shell.  If you rub/scrub the shell, I would think it would remove the "bloom" from the shell.  Where as dipping may leave some of this natural protection?  I am curious how some of the breeders actually do this washing, dipping like Paul or more?  Maybe this "Bloom" is another Rural myth?

[Susan Mouw]

For those of you who are using the Oxine, are you mixing the citric acid with it or just using the diluted pure Oxine?

[Birdcrazy]

Don, I don't actually wash or dip my eggs in Tex-Trol. I put my eggs that I gather in hatching trays while waiting to accumulate enough for the incubator. As I tilt the eggs daily and every few day use a Tex-Trol solution in a spray bottle and spray the eggs liberally and let them drain while sitting over paper towels. Some of the eggs may get sprayed this way several time during the accumulation process. I do wash my eating eggs letting them sit in a Tex-Trol solution bath. I hope I am not toxic.

[Birdcrazy]

For those of you who are using the Oxine, are you mixing the citric acid with it or just using the diluted pure Oxine?

Susan, This does not relate to washing eggs, but I do use Oxine to sanitize my poultry houses. I use straight Oxine mixture. I did buy the citric acid and a respirator mask as recommended when using them with the Oxine solution. I have not been brave enough to use the citric acid in the mixtures due to all the additional warnings when using the product this way.

[Sharon Yorks]

I use to dip (not wash) my eggs in diluted Oxine (6 oz per gallon) but really didn't notice a difference so I stopped. All of my eggs are very clean to start with. I do, however, run the Oxine solution of 4oz per gallon in my incubator a few days in advance when I'm getting my temperature and humidity leveled out as I feel it helps disinfect my machine. Then, right before I place the eggs in there, I top of the water levels with straight clean water that helps dilute it more so I don't possibly hurt the chicks breathing...although it might actually be good for them to breath when diluted. I have found that there is also no odor after the hatch, even if I don't clean my incubator for a day or two after the hatch. 

[greeneggsandham]

Did any of y'all once NOT wash, and then begin to? Did you notice a significant difference in hatch rate and chick survival?

Yes.  Didn't wash for years, but also didn't have a good humidity reader.  Poor hatches.  This year, I washed but also have a better reading on humidity.  My first hatch of the year has been the best I have ever had.  My last hatch I didn't wash, numbers down a bit.  The ones I have in now I did wash, so I will see if the numbers go up again.  Having a bit of trouble getting humidity down though.  It's been quite rainy so humidity has been running high even with little water in there.  So, it might be a combination of both.  Sanitizing and getting the humidity right.

I use warm water, at least 90 to 95 degrees, with a TBSP of bleach per gal of water.  I dip each egg and if soiled, rub lightly with sponge then set the egg on a towel and pat them lightly with the towel to dry.   If I use Oxine I do not use the citric acid.

One thing some may not have considered in trying to determine whether to wash or not to wash is Mareks.  If you vaccinate for Mareks, why put dirty eggs in the incubator?  Why expose the chicks to the virus that might be hanging out on an unwashed egg?

[Susan Lussos]

I use MannaPro Egg Cleanser on all my eggs, particularly if they are hitting the incubator.  3 minutes seems to do a good job.  I wipe everything that is loose afterwards and then like the directions say, rinse again and barely wipe the second time if they are hatching eggs.  Otherwise it's a full 20 soak for eating or selling.