The invention relates to a method and a device for treating poultry eggs using an electron beam to sterilise the calcareous shell, said method comprising the following steps: - moving at least one egg through the beam path of an electron beam source, - irradiating the eggs, wherein the calcareous shell is irradiated with a varying dose. The method is characterised by the following steps: - using the electron beam to comprehensively irradiate all regions of the calcareous shell of the egg, wherein an element is inserted into the path of the electron beam to distribute the irradiation over all regions of the calcareous shell, which is comprehensively irradiated due to the dose being set within a predefined target dose range, or - using the electron beam source to irradiate a rolling/rolled egg in the path of the electron beam, or - using the electron beam source to irradiate eggs in the path of the electron beam, the eggs being held so that one side is at a zero degree position , in a device arranged upstream of a turning device.
