How to Clean and Preserve Eggs Before Incubating

If you’re planning to incubate chicks, you may be concerned about dirty eggs. The good news is that you don’t need to clean the eggs in the vast majority of cases. However, this does not mean that there is nothing to do to prepare for incubation. If you want to ensure that the chicks hatch healthy and strong, you need to store the eggs for 3-10 days in a stable environment before incubating.

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Should you wash eggs before hatching?

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Do not wash eggs unless they are very dirty. Eggs have a natural protective film in the shell to prevent bacteria from entering. Washing eggs may do more harm to the protective film than it helps. A little dirt on the eggs won’t affect the incubation process, so you don’t have to worry about keeping the eggs clean when storing. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You should store eggs for at least 3 days before incubating. ^{[2] X Research Source} If you’re afraid your eggs will get dirty during storage, you can cover the egg carton, or spread hay or paper over it. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
If you are worried about the clean eggs being contaminated, you can separate the clean and dirty eggs to incubate separately.

How can I clean an egg if it’s too dirty?

Dampen a soft cloth with water slightly warmer than an eggshell. Warm water will help the eggshell “sweat” and push out the dirt without damaging the embryo. Wipe the surface of the eggshell as gently as possible to remove debris. Use a dry cloth to wipe the moisture on the eggshell before putting it back in storage. ^{[4] X Trusted Source Virginia Cooperation Extension Go to Source}

Another way to clean eggs is to use extra fine sandpaper to brush away any dirt. However, this method can break the egg and damage the shell, so you need to do it slowly and carefully. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
Never wipe eggs with cold or room temperature water. Hot water can also damage eggs. ^{[6] X Trusted Source Virginia Cooperation Extension Go to Source}
Never use any cleaning solutions, soaps or chemicals to clean eggs. These will only damage the eggs.

Can you incubate washed eggs?

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Possibly, if the eggs are completely dry and stored properly. Even if washed, the eggs should not be damaged or have any problems. ^{[7] X Trusted Source Virginia Cooperation Extension Go to source} You just shouldn’t hatch eggs that are cracked, deformed, or abnormally large or small. There is a high chance that these eggs will not hatch, and if they have bacteria or pathogens, they can spread to other eggs. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Washing eggs will not prevent them from hatching, but will increase the risk.

How would you prepare the eggs before hatching?

Store eggs in a place where the temperature is always between 13 and 16 degrees Celsius and the humidity is between 70-75%. ^{[9] X Trusted Source Virginia Cooperation Extension Go to source} Turn eggs by hand every day to prevent embryos from sticking to one side of the shell. Store eggs for up to 10 days before incubation begins. If you leave it longer than this, the chances of the eggs hatching will be significantly reduced. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Wash and dry your hands before turning eggs to make sure you don’t accidentally introduce pathogens into the shell.
Clean the incubator and run it for 2-3 days before removing eggs from storage. ^{[11] X Research Source}
Aside from maintaining a constant temperature and humidity, you don’t need to do anything special to prepare for incubation. Just let the eggs warm to room temperature (21 to 27 degrees Celsius) and remove the cracked eggs right before placing them in the incubator.

How do you know the egg has been fertilized before incubation?

You can only tell which eggs will hatch after 10 days of incubation. To check, take out a pen light or flashlight and turn off all the lights in the room. Carefully pick up the egg and shine the light through the shell. If the eggshell is white, the unfertilized eggs will be as bright as a light bulb, and the healthy eggs will be dark. ^{[12] X Research Source} If the eggshell is brown, healthy eggs will have a small reddish tinge that looks like a spider. The brown unfertilized egg will have a red hollow circle instead of a cluster of blood vessels. ^{[13] X Research Source}

This method is called “egg screening”.
Discard the bright white eggs or the brown eggs with red hollow circles. Those are unfertilized eggs and will not hatch. Furthermore, if the embryo dies due to contamination, that egg can pose a risk to other eggs.

Advice

If you buy eggs for incubation, buy them only from a certified hatchery to ensure they are healthy. ^{[14] X Research Source}
The incubation temperature will vary slightly depending on the breed of chicken. In general, most eggs need to be maintained at 56-62% humidity. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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