The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: gingercloverbramble on April 30, 2010, 10:39:23 pm
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Is it true that you shouldn't wash mucky duck eggs? Our duck eggs seem to be caked in 'yuck' every day!! What is the best method for dealing with them?!!
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You should not wash eggs really but ducks eggs get all cacky even though I try to keep the nest area clean most days. So until there is legislation to say otherwise I wash mine, I read somewhere to wash them in handwarm water.No reports of any ill customers ;D in fact nothing but compliments.
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My understanding is that hens eggs have a protective membrane laid with it that stops any bugs getting in, so you shouldn't wash them - you'd wash off the protection. But duck eggs don't have that membrane, but instead have an extra thick internal membrane and outer shell, which protects them. So I wash my duck eggs if they are mucky, but mine are mostly clean as they lay on straw in a corner and seem to poo on the other side.
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Right ...learnt something there then.Wish my ducks would keep there eggs clean.
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Right ...learnt something there then.Wish my ducks would keep there eggs clean.
Try them with a really thick bed of straw.
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They are on a thick bed of straw, I have to take it all out to find the eggs :D but they tend to play skittles with them I think , as the eggs are usually in the food /water area which does get grubby. ::)
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Ah, I see. I have a shed with an open pophole into a Great Dane sized dog cage which they are shut into for safety, then let into their main run, or to free range every morning. Their water is out there overnight, and they seem to go out there to poo, so the straw is fairly clean. That said one of the eggs was out in the dog cage this morning - absolutely minging! ;D
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Mine free range on 35 acre heath/moor, their hut is next to the burn so they go to bed at night with dirty feet and dirty faces >:( I do give them water in their hut as I was told they dont eat without water available and I feed them when I lock them in away from the geese and gulls. I have to clean out thouroughly every three to four days as it gets dirty very quickly in there, even though they are on latted wood with a wire covering on a raised floor to take some of the liquid away.I must have very dirty ducks :D
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I leave mine to dry then rub them very gently with a bit if green scourer to get any muck off.
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I left my eggs out when I collected them yesterday and they got rained on - I thought I'd quickly make a couple of cakes just in case.....
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I always wash mine in hot water, nobody would take them from me otherwise, not even for free , lol. I'm sure the ones in the shop must have been washed. I maybe get one a week which is ok to look at, even when they lay outside in a clean nest with no poo whatsoever they tend to come mucky. I think they roll them about to make them look bad so we don't take them :&>... ;D
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I only use luke warm water in case the hot water starts to cook them, but i wouldn't get mine sold either if i didn't wash them. ::)