Fumigation of egg cabinets
To reduce microbial penetration of the shell to a
minimum, eggs should be fumigated
immediately after collection, and preferably
while they are still warm. The fumigation room
or cabinet should be airtight, Chlorine Dioxide
(ClO2) gas will kill any bacteria or virus that
may be in such cabinet.
Fumigation of eggs in setters
Eggs should be fumigated within 12 h after
setting, when the temperature and humidity
return to normal operating levels.
The setter doors and vents should be closed,
After fumigation, the vents should be opened to
the normal operating position to release clo2
gas. Warning: Eggs which have been incubated
for 24-96 h should not be fumigated, as this can
result in embryo mortality.
Fumigation of hatchers
Following the removal of all chicks and the
cleaning and disinfection of the empty machine,
the disinfected egg trays are replaced and the
machine is prepared for the next batch of
incubating eggs. The doors and vents should be
closed, and the temperature and humidity
returned to normal operating levels. Fumigation
time should be at least three hours, or
preferably overnight, using the standard
amounts of ClO2 by measuring room.
Warning: The above fumigation procedure
applies to a machine in which there are no eggs.
Eggs and chicks cannot be fumigated using the
above fumigation time.
Fumigation of eggs in hatching machines
Fumigation of eggs in hatching machines is a
common practice in certain areas and under
certain conditions. The eggs should be
fumigated after being transferred to the
hatching machines and before 10% of the
chicks have begun to break the shell.
Chlorine dioxide
Chlorine dioxide (ClO2 ) is used in the poultry
industry to clean 'grow-out' barns and hatchery
equipment. Used as a liquid,solution, conbine
with foam or as pure gas when aquous foam
ClO2 solution flows over the surface, traps
heavily soiled areas even on vertical surfaces,
chlorine dioxide vapours are trapped in the gas
bubbles of the foam killing all pathogens.
ClO2 gas solutions containing only 30 ppm is
ClO2 does not have detrimental effects on the
egg shell cuticle, and this natural barrier to
microbial penetration is therefore maintained
Treating eggs with ClO2 foam (40 ppm Cl) has
no adverse effect on hatching viability, while it
reduces the number of egg-contaminant
bacteria present .