# Incubation "Trick" Test - Sanitizing Eggs



## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

I just wanted to let you all in to a little test I am doing here at work as I think it will be beneficial for us all. I keep seeing videos and posts online about people sanitizing (not washing) their eggs and having better hatch rates. For my line of work I need to know if this is true as it helps with customer service and my own hatching, so I am setting up a test.

I will be using 2 IncuView incubators and about 100 quail eggs, I will split each incubator with a mix of half sanitized and half regular eggs and record the results. For the sanitizer I will be using our own IncuClean spray. The sanitized eggs will just be sprayed down with the spray, not soaked or dipped.

*RESULTS AFTER IMAGES*

The eggs arrived in some pretty impressive packaging. 

















Here is the split and spray prior to putting them in. I soaked the eggs in the carton and the others are left unsanitized. 

















Now, each IncuView was loaded with a 50/50 mix of eggs, I marked the unsanitized eggs with a marker to keep track after hatch.









After the first candling I removed all duds and oddities. 

























After I had candled this is what made it to lockdown.

















Over the course of the hatch period I had a 90% hatch rate with each test group of eggs performing almost equally.

























My take on this test is that sanitized or not...the eggs hatched at the same rate and without issues. So I feel this comes down to personal preference and if you want to try it yourself please do so and let us know the results in this thread.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is the kind of post that informs many who are first starting out what is beneficial to aid in their quest for a good hatch. Heck, it could even help those that have plenty of hatching under their belts.


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

I had to have 150 quail eggs shipped in for this, YUCK! I will make sure to take that into consideration as i really hate shipped eggs, so finicky.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

150 eggs would be a lot to pre candle but it would be a good idea to see if the air cell is still intact. If not that could affect your hatching success by more than half.


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

robin416 said:


> 150 eggs would be a lot to pre candle but it would be a good idea to see if the air cell is still intact. If not that could affect your hatching success by more than half.


Agreed and planned to precandle all of them before they go into the bators.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I should have known you would know that considering all the hatching you do. 

But it's out there for anyone new to read that they should candle before setting shipped eggs.


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

I had about 120 eggs I felt would pass for incubation, I used 100 and gave the other 20 to a coworker to play with. The air cells were not too bad and since I am using a side laying egg turner they usually settle a little better rather than having to be in the traditional style turners. I have pics on my phone I will get uploaded soon of the current process.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That sounds like my turn-x with the side laying position. 

Now you've got me wondering if being on the side and if turning is kept to a minimum if using those with ruptured air cells would there be a better outcome? I no longer hatch so I'll have to leave it up to someone else to do that experiment. hint hint


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Did you let the eggs sit for 24 hours once recieved prior to setting them in the incubator pointy side up? Shipped eggs need to sit for 24 hrs to settle first before going into the incubator.i did that for 18 eggs i got and it helped


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Robin i hatch both ways, side incubator (jonel) and a regular standing one(IncuView).
Ive gotten good hatches with both, but the side one there is more of a risk of the egg pipping upside down against the floor(ive had that happen and hatch rate on those were bad)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I only had one ever hatch upside down and that was with the upright cradle incubator. But with all the Silkies I had, I didn't need the incubators all that much.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

I prefer broody hens too but mine are rarely broody


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Jedipat, how is the hatch going?


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

robin416 said:


> Jedipat, how is the hatch going?


I was just thinking about this post as I was looking over the images from the hatch. I will update this post tomorrow at some time and let me tell you...it was a mind bobbling and success hatch.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm counting on seeing the results tomorrow. (I didn't say tomorrow at first but then that sounded like any time was just fine)


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

Sorry for the delay folks, I figured out my image hosting issues and am back on track. Check out the first post for images and details.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

When you think about it, those of us that used hens more than incubators never sanitize the eggs the girls are setting on and they hatch just fine. Whether they're nasty or not.

BTW, who got all of those quail. I can't imagine you're wife was OK with keeping them around.


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## JediPat (Sep 19, 2018)

robin416 said:


> BTW, who got all of those quail. I can't imagine you're wife was OK with keeping them around.


There is a gal the lives about 30 minutes from here, I just give her anything I hatch and she pays us back with hatching eggs.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That's an ideal setup. I knew someone that gave all of her chicks that didn't make the grade to someone who raised them then sold them. It worked out really well to keep from being over run.


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