What could possibly be more magical for a chicken keeper than watching an egg turn into a tiny life right before our eyes? That's right, hatching your own eggs! We aren't going to discuss the hatching process today but rather the cleaning of the eggs before setting them. Most will tell you not to clean eggs before setting to protect the bloom; however, the following experiment will discuss killing viruses and diseases that could be present on the outside of the eggs, (should these eggs come from an infected flock).
So why sterilize them? If you have any reason to believe, suspect, or know that where you purchased hatching eggs, or your own hatching eggs, may have been exposed to a disease, illness, or virus, then you'd want to make sure this isn't carried on to the chicks from the eggshells when they hatch.
Marek's disease, among others, is spread by the dust and dander from infected or carrier chickens. It is conceivable that this same dust/dander could make its way onto the eggs of hens or of those purchased elsewhere.
Is it safe to sanitize your eggs?
It depends what you're using but in most cases, yes. Sanitizing of eggs is done by hatcheries, and some breeders do as well.
This article explains further if you wish to read more about general sanitation.
https://extension.msstate.edu/content/sanitation-hatching-eggs#
Here is an excellent article by Rip Stalvey, Admin of Poultry Breeder Nutrition on Facebook, on other benefits of sterilizing hatching eggs.
What products will kill Marek's disease on surfaces, such as coops, incubators, and even eggs?
While Odoban doesn't list that it specifically kills Marek's disease, according to Chad Lytle, PhD, Founder of RAL (Research Associates Laboratory), "It is likely that Odoban can inactivate just about every virus on a hard surface with enough time, however, there are no studies...I think this method can significantly reduce Marek's that is taking a ride on eggs, however, I don't want someone thinking they can cure Marek's."
Odoban has tested, and its product, when applied correctly, will kill Avian Influenza virus, Avian Infectious Bronchitis virus and Newcastle’s Disease virus.
Virkon-S is a product that states it can kill Marek's disease on surfaces; however, this experiment was done using Odoban.
Disclaimer: The method in this article is intended to reduce the risk of transmitting diseases, viruses, and bacteria via the eggshell to the chicks. This method is not a cure for Marek's.
To use Odoban as a virucidal or bactericidal, a solution is made using 5 oz Odoban per gallon of water, apply on a clean surface, let set 60 seconds.
To read more about Odoban: https://odoban.com/what-is-odoban/
To read more about Marek's Disease and how it spreads:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../marek-s-disease-in-poultry#Etiology_v3342420
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co...estock/poultry/mareks-disease-poultry-chicken
I could find no information about how to kill Marek's disease on hatching eggs. Thus, since I had some hatching eggs already being shipped to me, I thought it would be a great time to fire up a second incubator and test some of my own eggs to determine:
The Experiment:
1/06/2024
I selected 10 of my own silkie eggs. I numbered and marked five of them with an O, and the other five were just numbered. (I was doing a hatch-along so thus why the numbering.) The reason the five regular eggs were put in with these Odoban-dipped eggs was to bring normal bacteria eggs may have on them into the incubator with the sanitized eggs.
I made a quart of Odoban solution by mixing 1.25 oz. of Odoban from a gallon jug of it I already had, in a quart bottle and filling it with lukewarm tap water. (Ratio is 5 oz/gallon).
I poured some of this solution into a plastic bowl and soaked the five eggs marked with O's for 60 seconds.
I quickly rinsed them and set them on paper towels to dry.
Once dry, these five were set on one end of a Brinsea 56EX incubator, and the other five were set on the opposite end. These 10 eggs were the only eggs in this incubator. They were set at 7:00 p.m. CST on 1/06/2024, with a due date (21 days) of 1/27/2024.
Seven days later I candled, and removed two of the O (Odoban-dipped) eggs and two of the five regular eggs with them, due to being unfertilized or non-starters.
They were candled again on 1/21/2024. All six remaining eggs were viable. They were locked down on 1/23/2024.
On the morning of 1/26/2024, the first egg to hatch was an Odoban-dipped egg, as was the second one shortly behind it. (20th day.) The third Odoban-dipped egg hatched the morning of 1/27/2024.
Here are the three chicks whose egg was soaked for 60 seconds in Odoban solution.
FINDINGS:
The 60-second sanitization process using Odoban did not affect the hatch rate, nor did the unwashed eggs affect the OdoBan eggs.
Since finishing this experiment, several have already gone ahead and sterilized their hatching eggs with Odoban. If you're one of them, please post your results upon hatching and share with us how it went.
While we all hope never to have the dreaded Mareks turn up in our flocks, it can strike unexpectedly. This experiment only followed the chick up to hatching. Ultimately, time will tell whether or not the OdoBan affected fertility, organs, or any DNA of future offspring. I will update this article as the chicks mature, lay, and reproduce. Thank you for tagging along!
UPDATE:
May 24th, 2024, these three "Odoban chicks" turned 4 months old. They are perfectly healthy and further proves that sterilizing hatching eggs for 60 seconds in Odoban does not harm the embryos.
A huge thanks to @TwoCrows and @2ndTink for their insight and assistance in putting this experiment and article together. I also thank all of those who participated in the hatch-along/experiment as you helped make it so fun!
So why sterilize them? If you have any reason to believe, suspect, or know that where you purchased hatching eggs, or your own hatching eggs, may have been exposed to a disease, illness, or virus, then you'd want to make sure this isn't carried on to the chicks from the eggshells when they hatch.
Marek's disease, among others, is spread by the dust and dander from infected or carrier chickens. It is conceivable that this same dust/dander could make its way onto the eggs of hens or of those purchased elsewhere.
Is it safe to sanitize your eggs?
It depends what you're using but in most cases, yes. Sanitizing of eggs is done by hatcheries, and some breeders do as well.
This article explains further if you wish to read more about general sanitation.
https://extension.msstate.edu/content/sanitation-hatching-eggs#
Here is an excellent article by Rip Stalvey, Admin of Poultry Breeder Nutrition on Facebook, on other benefits of sterilizing hatching eggs.
What products will kill Marek's disease on surfaces, such as coops, incubators, and even eggs?
While Odoban doesn't list that it specifically kills Marek's disease, according to Chad Lytle, PhD, Founder of RAL (Research Associates Laboratory), "It is likely that Odoban can inactivate just about every virus on a hard surface with enough time, however, there are no studies...I think this method can significantly reduce Marek's that is taking a ride on eggs, however, I don't want someone thinking they can cure Marek's."
Odoban has tested, and its product, when applied correctly, will kill Avian Influenza virus, Avian Infectious Bronchitis virus and Newcastle’s Disease virus.
Virkon-S is a product that states it can kill Marek's disease on surfaces; however, this experiment was done using Odoban.
Disclaimer: The method in this article is intended to reduce the risk of transmitting diseases, viruses, and bacteria via the eggshell to the chicks. This method is not a cure for Marek's.
To use Odoban as a virucidal or bactericidal, a solution is made using 5 oz Odoban per gallon of water, apply on a clean surface, let set 60 seconds.
To read more about Odoban: https://odoban.com/what-is-odoban/
To read more about Marek's Disease and how it spreads:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul.../marek-s-disease-in-poultry#Etiology_v3342420
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co...estock/poultry/mareks-disease-poultry-chicken
I could find no information about how to kill Marek's disease on hatching eggs. Thus, since I had some hatching eggs already being shipped to me, I thought it would be a great time to fire up a second incubator and test some of my own eggs to determine:
- Would soaking an egg for 60 seconds in this solution kill the embryo?
- Would soaking an egg for 60 seconds in this solution ruin the bloom, thus allowing bacteria to access the egg?
The Experiment:
1/06/2024
I selected 10 of my own silkie eggs. I numbered and marked five of them with an O, and the other five were just numbered. (I was doing a hatch-along so thus why the numbering.) The reason the five regular eggs were put in with these Odoban-dipped eggs was to bring normal bacteria eggs may have on them into the incubator with the sanitized eggs.
I made a quart of Odoban solution by mixing 1.25 oz. of Odoban from a gallon jug of it I already had, in a quart bottle and filling it with lukewarm tap water. (Ratio is 5 oz/gallon).
I poured some of this solution into a plastic bowl and soaked the five eggs marked with O's for 60 seconds.
I quickly rinsed them and set them on paper towels to dry.
Once dry, these five were set on one end of a Brinsea 56EX incubator, and the other five were set on the opposite end. These 10 eggs were the only eggs in this incubator. They were set at 7:00 p.m. CST on 1/06/2024, with a due date (21 days) of 1/27/2024.
Seven days later I candled, and removed two of the O (Odoban-dipped) eggs and two of the five regular eggs with them, due to being unfertilized or non-starters.
They were candled again on 1/21/2024. All six remaining eggs were viable. They were locked down on 1/23/2024.
On the morning of 1/26/2024, the first egg to hatch was an Odoban-dipped egg, as was the second one shortly behind it. (20th day.) The third Odoban-dipped egg hatched the morning of 1/27/2024.
Here are the three chicks whose egg was soaked for 60 seconds in Odoban solution.
FINDINGS:
The 60-second sanitization process using Odoban did not affect the hatch rate, nor did the unwashed eggs affect the OdoBan eggs.
Since finishing this experiment, several have already gone ahead and sterilized their hatching eggs with Odoban. If you're one of them, please post your results upon hatching and share with us how it went.
While we all hope never to have the dreaded Mareks turn up in our flocks, it can strike unexpectedly. This experiment only followed the chick up to hatching. Ultimately, time will tell whether or not the OdoBan affected fertility, organs, or any DNA of future offspring. I will update this article as the chicks mature, lay, and reproduce. Thank you for tagging along!
UPDATE:
May 24th, 2024, these three "Odoban chicks" turned 4 months old. They are perfectly healthy and further proves that sterilizing hatching eggs for 60 seconds in Odoban does not harm the embryos.
A huge thanks to @TwoCrows and @2ndTink for their insight and assistance in putting this experiment and article together. I also thank all of those who participated in the hatch-along/experiment as you helped make it so fun!
Thank you though. I'll clarify that in the article as others may also wonder if temperature makes any difference.
win win for me. 