Disinfecting eggs

The climate in an incubator is an ideal environment for bacteria and moulds. Nutrients, moisture and warmth are all available.

Disinfecting eggs

All eggs are disinfected at the hatchery to destroy any pathogens possibly carried from the breeder farm, and to ensure low infection pressure on the embryos. Disinfection is a precautionary measure that ensures a uniform infection pressure for all eggs at the start of the process. Hatching eggs are usually disinfected in a separate room or dedicated disinfection lock after arrival and inspection at the hatchery. The clean eggs are then placed in the storage room (often done when eggs are supplied in setter trays). Or the hatching eggs are disinfected after storage and before setting (often done when eggs are supplied in paper egg flats). Gases used to disinfect – or fumigate – the eggs penetrate deep into the pores. Disinfectants not applied as a gas, but sprayed or misted onto the eggs, remain active on the surface of the eggshell and are therefore rarely as effective. Some disinfectants have a less direct, but residual effect that lasts several days longer than formalin. Taking samples from the eggshell and using agar culture plates to evaluate the efficiency of disinfection is not worthwhile. It is better to place the whole egg in a plastic bag containing a microbial growth media. This will give a better impression of the bacterial load on the eggshell. You can then sample the growth medium and dispose of the egg. The inside of the eggshell can also be sampled to determine how much bacteria has penetrated the eggshell. In practice, a hatchery always disinfects the eggs, regardless of whether they were already treated at the breeder farm. The advantage of disinfection at the hatchery is that a standard protocol is followed. This ensures the consistency and quality of the disinfection procedure. If the eggs are disinfected at the breeder farm, the hatchery must always be informed about the method and type of disinfectant used. copyright protected

Disinfection reduces bangers. But it can never repair poor egg quality. Bangers are wasted eggs anyway, but they contaminate the eggs around them too when they explode. And these eggs will infect any newly hatched chicks if they happen to explode in the incubator.