[pandora]

I have a strange problem. I have 2 runs of birds, each with a henhouse, cockerel and several hens in. They are cleaned and fed in the same way. Each cockerel has some hens which are from the same intake, ie each boy has a cream crested legbar, a couple of warrens and sussex and a poland. One cockerel also has a couple of silkies, which the other doesn't have. Each henhouse has roosting perches at a good height, although the house with the silkies has a slightly lower set of perches than the other. The silkie group's house has 6 nest boxes, the other has 2 nest boxes. I do not close off the nest boxes on a night as the construction of the houses makes it a faff.

So the only major difference between the groups is the silkies.

Both groups are laying well. I am getting 6- 8 eggs per day spread across the 2 groups. The problem is that the silkie house leave me eggs which are covered in poo and mud to the point where I am embarrassed to even show them to friends, let alone give them a boxful. The non-silkie group lay beautiful clean eggs.

The only thing I can surmise is that the ickle fluffy cute silkies are fluffing their muddy feathers across the eggs on a regular basis, and snoozing and pooing in the nest boxes. I check the nest boxes several times a day, and even when the eggs are being laid during the day they are dirty, so it is not as though I am leaving them to be slept on by hens that are sleeping in the nest boxes rather than perching.

Am I being unfair on my silkies, or does anyone have any other suggestions? I'd just like my eggs to be clean!

[too many girls]

rinse them under the tap maybe your silkies aren't dropping their knickers properly and mucky bums may leave mucky eggs, in spite of my many attempts a making them perch (lifting them onto the perches at bed time) my silkies insist on sleeping (and pooing) in the nest boxes and i've given up on moving them and just rinse the eggs under a warm tap,

 here goes the "to wash eggs or not to wash eggs brigade"

[hillfooter]

Are the entrances to both houses dry or is one more muddy than the other?  This is the most likely explaination.  

Ensure each entrance is dry by having a covered run (or porch as Aunt Sally calls it.) over the entrance.  Use a thick polythene sheet such as damp proof course membrane or a tarpaulin over a wire mesh run and use dry bark or forest mulch (composted tree shredings) or hard wood chips on the ground preferably with slatted duck boards on top.  Such an arrangement will stop mud being trailed in the house.  Cover the house floor with a thick layer of softwood shavings such as Snowflakes or a similar litter such as Hencore to further reduce wet mud and poo and dry you hens feet.  If that doesn't cure it I'd be surprised.

Oh ... and TMG's quite right you shouldn't wash eggs as there's a danger of washing pathegens through the porous shells.  By all means wash them just before use and otherwise keep them in a poly bag (or similar to prevent contamination) in the fridge until use.  If you can't bear to do this use warm water with an egg sanitzer in it to wash them.

HF

[viettaclark]

My filthy eggs last a max of 3 days and they're eaten! Only got 3 girls (bird) and 5 kids (human) but I don't want ANYBODY to suggest getting more! My 100 foot garden is being completely wrecked by the greedy, pooey lot I've already got!!!
Mind you.......muse and ponder........ always wanted to have blue eggs.....STOP!......STOP! OH will divorce you!!

[madcat]

How about swapping the kids for more chucks?     bet OH would go for that !   

[Beano]

With regards to pooey eggs, I let the muck dry on them before gently rubbing with an almost dry cloth. I only sell them when we've too many and people tell me that they would rather have a little poo on the eggs than a Supermarket stamp.