WitchHazel Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Hi, we're hoping to incubate our first fertile eggs next week using a lovely Rcom 20 incubator. I've been reading Katie Thear's book, and she recommends washing AND sanitising fertile eggs before incubating, but I'm sure i'd heard that washing wasn't a good idea (or maybe that was just for eating eggs). What do you do please? Thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Ooooh R Com 20 you lucky thing! I 'dipped my first lot, I made up two mugs of brinsea disinfectant (sp?) mixed with the right qty of warm water, I dipped the egg, wiped it with kitchen towel to get rid of any stubborn dirty marks then dipped in the next cup and wiped with fresh kitchen towel then the egg went in the inccy This time arount I dipped the inccy eggs as above but did not dip the ones that went under the broody, I had to take the broody's eggs of of her later down the line and they went in the inccy as they were I would always dip, if you do it right it wont do any harm and certainly puts your mind at rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I've never washed my eggs and I know we didn't at the farm. Some people say not to because if the water is cold it will contract the inner membranes inside the egg and pull in bacteria with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I don't wash the eggs - I do choose clean ones though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I never wash mine either, but like Lesley - choose clean, uniform shaped ones. I always think if you wash them you could actually cause tiny cracks. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 Thanks for your thoughts on this. I think we'll probably end up sanitising the first time, and then see after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I do sanitise the incubator......and I write the name of the hen who laid the egg in pencil on each egg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Thanks Lesley. I think we'll sanitise the incubator and, as the eggs aren't ours and have come by post (so I haven't seen for myself what the place they have come from is like) I'll sanitise the eggs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...