[Jackie 2]

My son keeps saying we should 'clean' the hatching goose eggs with formalin and potassium permaganate (PP) I havent got any as all my koi meds are at my daughters house so what else can I use?

[HesterF]

I thought you were supposed to avoid cleaning eggs as much as possible because they have a natural antibacterial barrier which is destroyed by cleaning? If they're really mucky you can try brushing them off and failing that luke warm water - just warmer than the eggs themselves. I've never heard of using potassium permanganate or formalin both of which sound quite harsh although I'm sure will kill all the germs and leave the eggs a nice shade of purple. Having said all of that, I'm no expert - I've read the books but yet to set any of my eggs for hatching.

H

[hughesy]

I think those chemicals are what they use for fumigating in large scale hatcheries. You can buy egg sanitiser which is made up into a solution with water at about 35 degrees. The eggs are immersed in it for a few minutes then left to dry. It kills any germs on the outside of the shell which would thrive in the perfect conditions of an incubator.

[Jackie 2]

Thanks for your replies, I think Ill leave the eggs as is

[Marches Farmer]

We bed nestboxes with fine sawdust and fresh straw and replace as necessary.  We find the eggs stay very clean in this combination and we don't wash them.  If collecting them for incubation we wear disposable gloves and sit each in a clean tissue in a new egg box.  No point in handling clean eggs with hands that have just been mucking out the pigs!

[Jackie 2]

We built nesting platforms last year for the geese but not one used them but they do nest on straw in the goose shed but geese are dirty birds so poo anywhere even on their own eggs!!


Good idea about the gloves.

[Brijjy]

When  I hatch goose and duck eggs, I just gently wash the worst off with warm water, dry with paper towel and set in the incy. Not had a problem yet. After hatching each and every time, thoroughly wash and disinfect the incubator before the next setting of eggs. Bacteria left in an incubator can and will affect the next hatch.

[chrismahon]

We only use clean eggs from clean nest boxes and then we use an egg sanitiser solution which is also used to clean the incubator before use. We have excellent hatch rates -last lot we lost three because humidity was too high, no infections.

[graham-j]

Hi,I have cleaned ducks eggs in the washing up bowl,with warm water,as squirt of fairy and a table spoon of bleach before now,without any problems.The water needs to be warmer than tepid,but not hot.

These guys here will vouch for that.

Graham.

[zarzar]

we use a drop of millton the baby bottle type sanitaser in warm water will kill harmfull bacteria we have never had a problem hatcting.

[Mammyshaz]

Well I'm reading this as I'm attempting our own hatching this year and am interested to see what people do so cannot help but will be watching this post (  popping in now and then just to  see those adorable ducklings too  )

[HesterF]

Oh my goodness those ducklings are cute. I've a hen on seven duck eggs at the moment and because I wasn't planning to hatch them, I'd just washed them in water imagining I'd be eating them shortly (and quite how ducks can make such a mess of eggs when laying them on fresh, clean bedding, I have no idea - at least mine do always lay in their house rather than in the mud somewhere). I won't know whether it's done them any harm for another few weeks but I'll keep you posted. Fingers crossed for gorgeous little duckies like those!

H

[Jackie 2]

I did wonder if you use Milton too as its safe for human babies so why not eggs


The pics are so cute and will make good eating later. lol

[hughesy]

I would imagine that the egg sanitizer that is quite expensive is probably very similar stuff to milton or suchlike which is probably a lot cheaper.

[Pasture Farm]

One of the things to remember that IF you do clean then the water or whatever you are using has to be slightly warmer than the egg otherwise you will force the bacteria into the egg