How cold can eggs get and still hatch? *UPDATE*

[Cara]

My bantam Sultan decided to give me a Christmas present. She'd maybe layed 7 eggs in her life, and today I found a clutch of 5 eggs that accumulated while we were away for Christmas. It's been cold here, as low as 15 outside some nights although they were in a barn in hay, and there is a heat lamp in there but it's a few feet from the nest. She hadn't been sitting on them and they felt cold. I think i'll give them a go in the incubator since it's empty anyway, but i'm wondering how likely it is that any will hatch. The funny thing is none of my good egg layers have layed in weeks.

 

[kstaven]

As long as they are fertile and didn't develop cracks from freezing they can potentially be hatched.

Let them sit inside for a day and come up to room temperature before putting them in the incubator.

 

[brooster]

I did an experment this summer i put a dozen eggs in the fridge for 24 hours at about 40 degrees. I put them in the bator and hatched 9. unless they froze and cracked the should be fine but make sure the warm up to room temp before you put them in the bator or they will sweat.

 

[Sharisr32]

I am in Ohio - Non - heated Coop - I have had eggs outside in as low as it goes here -if they were laid after I went to work or at night to morning they sat
I still had things hatch--

 

[Cara]

I candled them today, and 6 out of 7 are growing! One looks a little shady though, the veins aren't as vivid as the others are.

 

[jab91864]

Wow, this is very encouraging. Being in the midst of winter I just assumed only the eggs that were still warm when I collected would be any good for hatching. I collect atleast twice daily, on the weekends when I am home from work I usually check 3-4 times.

Julie

 

[fallenweeble]

nature is like, cool and stuff.

it's amazing that something as fragile as an egg can endure what it endures and still produce a perfect lil' baby chick!

my incubator is on it's way and i feel like an 8 year old having to wait for christmas. each morning i'm at the door checking my porch to see if it's there and each morning i get this little flush of childish irritation/impaitience when it's not.

eggs.
chicks.
chickens.

i just can't wait to watch the whole thing from begining to end!

 

[okiechick57]

I am sorry I cant help you. But I have the same question........ its cold here too and my ducks lay at night.......will be interested to find out myself.....

 

[tazcat70]

I just hatched some eggs. I am not sure which batch they came from but batch 1 was in a refrigerator and batch 2 were bought at an auction on a freezing cold night. I don't know how long either were in the cold. I did let them get up to room temperature before I set them.

Tonya

 

[Cara]

I left them inside for about 10 hours, until they felt room temperature and I could see with my flashlight that they weren't frozen inside. She laid me another one yesterday so I set all 6 together, and i'm hoping she'll lay me another today and I can set that too.

I found out why she is suddenly on a laying rampage. My mother in law was watching my animals while we were away, and doesn't know too much about chickens. She was worried it would get too dark in their barn for them, so put the lights on at night! I think after today i'll swap my Sultans around with one of my other flocks so that maybe they will lay, and Ursula can have a rest.