3.6m Omlet Chicken Run for sale, Brand New in Boxes, Milton Keynes (MK19)

[Chicken Kitty]

I am thinking ahead to when my girls start to lay (...hopefully very soon! ) and I have a quick question that I hope someone will be able to help me with......I use diatom in my including the nest box, it has just occured to me that the diatom will therefore come into contact with eggs that are layed in there....is this ok? should I wash the eggs?

[Snowy]

It will be fine, just brush any loose dust off the egg. It's better not to wash eggs unless really mucky - it washes the protective coating off the shell and allows bacteria to enter the pores.

[Chicken Kitty]

Thank you Snowy....I was just a bit concerned that, once the lovely eggs start arriving, I would inadvertently poison everyone with diatom!

[ashjc]

Kitty I raised the same concern some months ago on here and was told by someone that diatom is not poisonous to humans, but worth wiping off any residual.

[Chicken Kitty]

That's great