How Long for Rotten Eggs to Explode Under my House?

[Sonja]

Hi there, I found this site after a rather fruitless Google search. Am wondering how long it will take for rotten eggs to explode in summer in Australia.

 

A while back my chooks took to laying their eggs under the house. I blocked off access but there are a lot of eggs still under there. The house is much too low for me to get to the eggs, either to break them or to remove them. I will just have to remain patient. Every now and then one will explode and it is horrific. It has been months since I blocked off access and I am desperate to know how much longer we will have to endure these nasty exploding surprises. If it is going to continue until this time next year (or worse) I need to psychologically brace myself.

 

Many thanks for any info!

Edited December 10, 2016 by Sonja

[Itoero]

It's a bit late now, but I would ask for someone's dog. A dog breaks the eggs and eats the inside.

[Sonja]

Thanks Itoero, when they first laid the eggs under there I didn't have the foresight to imagine this situation. I have no idea what I thought would happen. Eggshells are porous so I guess I hoped they would just slowly decompose if they were left undisturbed. I honestly didn't give it much thought at all.

 

There is not much room under there. It would have to be a Chihuahua or something similar in size. Still, you are right about it being too late. Surely even the hungriest dog wouldn't eat something that bad (roll in it maybe). I imagine it may make a dog sick too.

 

I guess that this is just not the type of experiment that people would ordinarily conduct. What scientific value would the information hold?

 

What I do know is that if you disturb rotten eggs they will explode, plenty of stories about that going around. If I could get to the eggs I would do just that in order to have the whole thing over and done with. Unfortunately, these will sit undisturbed until they pop of their own accord. When one pops it sounds like a firecracker. I have learned that when I hear it I need to run around shutting windows and doors before the smell gets too much in the house. Because I can't see them I have no idea how close this nightmare is to being over. I just know it has been about 3 months since the last egg was laid under there.

[Phi for All]

Sounds like a job for the first tool, a stick. I have an 8' board, 1"x2" that would be perfect. You could use a broom handle but it might not be long enough. Slip the stick into the access, and slide it back and forth across the floor, and hopefully you'll break all the eggs. Major smell, all at once, but hopefully no more unexpected surprises. That's the bomb dispersal method.

 

If you want to try bomb retrieval, you need another 1"x2"x8' stick and some rope. Tie the ends of the rope to the ends of the sticks, leaving 6' or so between. Now you push both sticks through the access, with the rope at the basement end. Separate the sticks, and the idea is to have the rope stretched between the ends so the rope carefully corrals the eggs as you slowly pull the sticks back out of the access opening.

[arc]

If all I wanted to do is break the eggs I would get one of these air powered pellet rifles. It has a flashlight and laser to pinpoint the target.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/gamo-big-cat-varmint-air-rifle-with-scope-laser-light-combo?a=444174

$144.90 0.177 cal · 1000 fps

 

 

 

 

But I myself would just suck them up with a powerful shop-vac. This is the one I have and I really like it. You will probably need one with around 5 HP for this application.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0023EY052/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=toolconsult-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0023EY052&linkId=3faf6b9042d7e535f08b577e35480a80

 

 

Get some schedule 20 white PVC plastic pipe with an inside measurement as close to the egg's diameter as possible.

 

 

And connect them together with some PVC couplers;

 

 

Buy as many 3 meter long pieces of pipe as required and cut them as needed. They are quite inexpensive.

 

You can use PVC glue to connect the pipes together but I would recommend just duct taping them, or better yet, just use some very short screws that won't extend inside of the pipe's interior to stop or break the eggs as they come through.

 

You really want to be able to adjust the pipe length quickly and easily so you can move to the different locations without to much trouble and still be as close to the access opening as possible to see what's going on. With the vacuum turned off you can slide the pipe end up to the egg and the hit the switch to suck-up the egg, then switch it off before moving to the next target. You can mount a flashlight to the pipe or just get a powerful spot light and/or someone to point it at the target. It's hard to see into a dark area when you are outside in the bright daylight, it is much easier to do this at dusk or nighttime.

 

BTW I have been removing wasp nests around the homestead with this setup for years. I use the 12.5 mm pipe size and just put the pipe end near where they come and go out of the nest. After a while there are not any of them left outside the nest and all the ones that have tried to get out are gone also. I then just shoot a little pesticide it the nest opening and the job is done. Empty the vacuum a few days after, they are always dead or near to it. 8 plus hours in a swirling vacuum vortex takes all the fight out of them.

Edited December 11, 2016 by arc

[Sonja]

OK, that is a bit to think about. If the egg actually got into the vacuum then that would be the end of it (the vacuum I mean). Maybe the simple bash around under the house strategy might be the most effective. Even if I miss some (they are not visible when I shine a torch under there) it will still significantly reduce the amount that remain to terrorise me.

 

My favourite option (if Australian gun laws were a bit more lenient) would have to be shooting them! Fun and effective. That little rifle looks perfect for the job.

 

Thanks for all your thoughts.

[arc]

OK, that is a bit to think about. If the egg actually got into the vacuum then that would be the end of it (the vacuum I mean).

 

You can buy high efficiency bags for that vacuum, so all you would need to clean is the hose. But you could also just replace the hose, they are not very expensive.

 

And you can find the eggs you cannot see by mounting a mirror (old car mirror) on the end of the pipe to see downward. You can add a 30 or 45 degree coupler to the end to aim downward, just make sure the pipe size is large enough to accommodate an angled coupler that an egg will fit through. Or just go for breaking and sucking up the remains.

Edited December 11, 2016 by arc

[Moontanman]

Eggs explode?

[arc]

Eggs explode?

 

The turbine in that vacuum is rated at 338 KPH, I don't think an exploding egg would stand a chance of getting ahead of that if it went off as it was going in the nozzle. I would like to see some videos of the results though. Where are the Myth Busters when you need them.

[Phi for All]

Eggs explode?

 

Sure. Buildup of gases from bacteria as it rots. Eggs are fairly tough when pressure is applied outside, but swelling from the inside busts them open eventually. I've never raised chickens personally, but some good friends did for a while. Those hens always manage to sneak some into great hiding places.

[StringJunky]

 

Sure. Buildup of gases from bacteria as it rots. Eggs are fairly tough when pressure is applied outside, but swelling from the inside busts them open eventually. I've never raised chickens personally, but some good friends did for a while. Those hens always manage to sneak some into great hiding places.

Evolution at work; ensuring reproductive success.

[Moontanman]

 

Sure. Buildup of gases from bacteria as it rots. Eggs are fairly tough when pressure is applied outside, but swelling from the inside busts them open eventually. I've never raised chickens personally, but some good friends did for a while. Those hens always manage to sneak some into great hiding places.

 

 

Having been raised on a farm with more chickens than I could count i never saw an egg explode, rotten eggs were rather fragile but I've seen eggs that were months old that still didn't burst until something hit them. They stunk pretty bad and I've seen people throw them and the eggs busted from the force of throwing them. Old rotten eggs are fragile, but I never noticed any build of of internal pressure, eggs do have tiny holes so the embryo can breath.

 

Sounds like an experiment is in order, I nominate you Phi...

[Phi for All]

Sounds like an experiment is in order, I nominate you Phi...

Blast from the past...

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/2216-exploding-egg/

 

Poultry? Poultry Forums!

 

http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8028005

[Moontanman]

Blast from the past...

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/2216-exploding-egg/

 

Poultry? Poultry Forums!

 

http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8028005

 

 

Then again Moa eggs thousands of years old have been found intact... then you have thousand year old duck eggs supposed to be a delicacy!

Edited December 13, 2016 by Moontanman

[Phi for All]

then you have thousand year old duck eggs supposed to be a delicacy!

 

... eaten by the Emperor, wearing his new clothes....

 

What do I know though? I think lobster tastes like butter, and caviar tastes like dock.

[Moontanman]

 

... eaten by the Emperor, wearing his new clothes....

 

What do I know though? I think lobster tastes like butter, and caviar tastes like dock.

 

 

I've only had lobster once in my life, I prefer rock crab claws, I used to catch them scuba diving at night. I love to scuba at night! I also happen to love eggs! Goose eggs and duck eggs are my favorite.

 

I seriously never seen a egg explode but I've seen a lot of them bust in some assholes hand when he was throwing them.

 

It make you wonder if eggs have to have particular circumstances to explode, those moa eggs are hundreds of years old at least. I'm not so sure the the so called "thousand year old" duck eggs count. They are boiled and pickled so that is probably not a fair comparison...

 

Catfish eggs are pretty good fried, carp eggs too, they sell popeye mullet, and shad roe here in sea food stores, they make great fish food...

Edited December 13, 2016 by Moontanman

[Phi for All]

It make you wonder if eggs have to have particular circumstances to explode,

 

I was wondering what Australia and Colorado have in common. Could it be a more rapid temperature changes during a day? In Spring and Summer here, it can get near freezing at 2am yet warm up into the high 70s F by 2pm. But I'm not sure that makes a difference to eggs hidden from the sun.

 

It's not just heat. You can make an egg explode in the microwave, but it won't be rotten. It's got to be that a gas buildup becomes blocked from venting, and pops the egg open from the inside, with a sharp report.

[Delta1212]

 

... eaten by the Emperor, wearing his new clothes....

 

What do I know though? I think lobster tastes like butter, and caviar tastes like dock.

I've never liked lobster, but I think good caviar is quite nice. It's a spread that tastes like the ocean. Edited December 14, 2016 by Delta1212

[Phi for All]

I've never liked lobster, but I think good caviar is quick nice. It's a spread that tastes like the ocean.

 

Escargot is another dish I think is overrated. It's yummy, don't get me wrong, but I've never tasted anything beyond butter, herbs, and garlic. It sometimes bothers me that some foods need to be completely changed to be palatable, and then they become delicacies.

 

Eggs on the other hand...

[Itoero]

I once ate a king crab leg in Alaska. That was very tasty!

[Itoero]

Rotting mammals, like whales and seals, with a thick skin and blubber can explode as well.

Sonja is lucky not to have any whales under her house.

[Sonja]

Rotting mammals, like whales and seals, with a thick skin and blubber can explode as well.

Sonja is lucky not to have any whales under her house.

 

I thought I'd check back and see if there was any news on my egg question. You made me laugh Itoero, we are only a few hundred metres from the beach so I guess I am lucky I don't have whales under there!