Is it possible to wash eggs before laying them in an incubator: home processing methods

The first time when breeding chickens or ducklings, many questions arise, because the process, although interesting, is quite complicated. One of these questions - is it possible to wash the eggs immediately before laying them in the incubator? Of course, this is not the most important question. But, nevertheless, you need to know such subtleties in order for poultry breeding to be successful.

How to select suitable eggs?

Before laying eggs in the incubator, you need to select in advance those from which the chicks will hatch for sure. The most important feature is freshness. The fresher they are, the more likely they are to hatch into he althy, strong chicks.

The second sign is the magnitude. This trait is hereditary, so chickens hatched from large eggs will lay well.

Signs of suitable eggs for an incubator:

• The shell should be smooth without cracks and various growths. Fresh ones are usually matte, while old ones are smooth to the touch.
• The shape should be oval. Weak chicks hatch from round or very elongated ones.

You can determine freshness by throwing an egg into a glass of water. If it fell sideways to the bottom, then it is fresh. And floats closer to the surface, then the old one.

Do I need to wash eggs before putting them in the incubator?

Although the question of whether it is necessary to wash the shell before laying in the incubator is not the most important, it is still recommended to study it. Here the opinions of poultry farmers are divided. Some argue that it is necessary to wash the shell before laying, because various pathogenic microorganisms remain on it, which cause illness in chicks.Even if at first glance the bird is he althy, it can be a carrier of diseases. This is especially true for ducks and geese.

Others, on the contrary, argue that under natural conditions the shell is not processed, and the chicks hatch he althy. The weak perish anyway.

Scientific studies show that pre-shell processing improves hatchability and hatches are he althier.Farmers say there is not much difference.

Cleaning Methods

Preparation of eggs begins with careful processing of the shell. There are several ways to do this.

Egg washing

The easiest way is to wash the shell with water and a small amount of laundry soap. The eggs are transferred to a large container, pour them with warm water and add a little soap, then wipe the surface with a sponge.After washing, they are dried and only after that they are laid in an incubator.

Treatment with formaldehyde vapors

You can process the shell with formaldehyde fumes. This method requires an airtight container. For the procedure you will need:

• 25ml formaldehyde;
• 15ml filtered water;
• 15 g potassium permanganate.

Formaldehyde is mixed with water. Potassium is added when the container is already installed in the chamber. The temperature in the chamber should be approximately +30-36 degrees.

The humidity level is supported by 75%. Leave them in the chamber for 40 minutes. At the end of the procedure, the chamber is thoroughly ventilated.

As a result of the reaction, vapors are released, which have a disinfecting effect. After that, the chamber is immediately closed. It is dangerous for a person to breathe these vapors, they can cause serious poisoning.

Formalin solution

Formalin is used to process hatching eggs. For the procedure, a 0.5% formalin solution is used. The substance is diluted in equal proportions with water. Then the liquid is heated to 31 degrees. The eggs are laid out in a net. Keep there until the pollution is completely washed off.

Using quartz treatment

The easiest and safest cleaning method is quartzing. This method allows you to clean the shell well from dirt.

Quartzization procedure:

• Place the prepared eggs for laying in the incubator in the tray.
• Place at a distance of 80 cm of quartz radiation.
• Turn on the quartz source and leave it next to the tray for 10 minutes.

This will be enough time to clean the shell from pollution.

Hydrogen peroxide

Another way to clean eggs from contamination is to rinse in hydrogen peroxide. To do this, a small amount of hydrogen is poured onto a cotton pad and the surface is wiped with it. It is better to take a new disc as often as possible in order to thoroughly clean the eggs. After the procedure, dry them and then you can send them to the incubator.

How does pollution affect eggs?

Eggs, especially non-purchased ones, are often contaminated. Although they do not bring significant harm, because in natural conditions no one cleans them, and the chickens still hatch without problems. But some poultry farmers believe that pollution contributes to the appearance of diseases in chicks, due to which they die after a few weeks after hatching.

How to disinfect the incubator before laying eggs

But not only eggs need to be prepared before laying. The incubator itself at home must also be cleaned so that it is sterile. This will help prevent diseases in newly hatched chicks.

Chloramine solution

Chloramine solution is used for disinfection. This method of all methods of processing the incubator is considered the most common. It is used both on an industrial scale and in the household. The substance is sold in ordinary pharmacies. The price is quite reasonable.

To process the shell, 10 tablets are dissolved in 1 liter of filtered water. Then the resulting solution is poured into a spray bottle and an incubator is sprayed from it. It is especially important to spray in hard-to-reach places.

The solution is left for 3-4 hours. Then they are washed with running water. Again, from hard-to-reach places, the solution must be washed thoroughly.

Formaldehyde vapours

Just like the shell, the incubator can be treated with formaldehyde fumes. The principle of preparation is the same as for the disinfection of eggs. 35 g of potassium permanganate are added to 40 ml of 40% formaldehyde. The resulting solution is poured into a container with a high neck and placed in an incubator.

For successful disinfection, you need to set the temperature to +39 degrees. Close all ventilation openings so that they do not let steam through.

Leave the container for 45 minutes. After the time has elapsed, the container is taken out, and the incubator itself is ventilated for 24 hours. To make the smell of formaldehyde disappear faster, the surfaces can be wiped with ammonia.

Formalin vapours

35 ml of a 40% formalin solution is diluted with 35 g of potassium permanganate and 40 ml of water. A clay or enameled plate is installed in the incubator.Pour the resulting solution into the container at the bottom. In the same way as in the case of formaldehyde, all ventilation holes are plugged. To evenly distribute the vapors, you can turn on the fan. The temperature is raised to +38 degrees. Leave the solution for about 45 minutes.

Ozonation method

Another way to prepare eggs for the incubator is the ozonation method. Ozone is added to the chamber in the amount of 350-450 mg per 1 cubic meter. The temperature is set within +26 degrees. Humidity for successful ozonation of the incubator should be at the level of 80%. The whole process takes about one hour.

UV treatment

One of the easiest ways to sanitize an incubator before putting eggs in it. To do this, an ultraviolet lamp is placed in the incubator and turned on for 40 minutes. After that, you can start laying eggs in it.

Ready-made purchased drugs

For the processing of the shell, you can use ready-made preparations. For example, Javel Solid is effective. This drug cleans eggs well from contamination. Ordinary iodine is also suitable for this purpose. A few drops of iodine are diluted in water and mixed thoroughly. Then the eggs are placed in water for 1 hour. Then they are dried and placed in an incubator.

Effective preparations for decontamination of the incubator:

• "Bromosept";
• "Virocid";
• Glutex;
• "Delegole";
• "Fiam-super";
• Ecowid.

Purchased preparations for disinfection are used in accordance with the instructions. During use, it is not recommended that the substance come into contact with the sensor, heating element or motor. Because of this, the incubator breaks down.

Another effective disinfectant is Chloramine B. "Chloramine B" is heated to 30 degrees. Then the eggs are lowered in turn for a few minutes. Each egg after the procedure is thoroughly washed under running water to wash off the remnants of the substance.

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