After shipping how long do you let eggs sit?Dirty eggs?

[Attack Chicken]

After shipping how long do you let eggs sit until you put them in the incubator? I Have OEGB and Bantam Wyandottes. The incubator is at 99-100 degrees right now in the incubator. I heard the lower the temp the more pullets you will get or should the temp be a little bit different with bantams? Thanks for all the help this is my 2nd batch of eggs and my 1st attempt at bantams.

 

[Laskaland]

Hello! Good luck on your hatch!
I usually let them sit at least 8 hours, but I have let them sit for as long as 24 give or take.
Temp should be 99-100 just like you thought, keep it in that range and you will be great!
Humidity is important too, check what the incubator recommends and get a nice hygrometer at Walmart for $7 called a Springfield- it has a temp gauge and humidity gauge on it.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Thanks! I learned today that these eggs are almost 10 days old... UGH! That means the hatch rate will go down. So I really don't have time to wait and let them sit. They arrived Saturday at my teacher house and they had been sitting there until today when he brought them in and then I took them home, so there hasn't been to much handling today. Some of the eggs are alittle dirty. Should I try and get some of the poo off of the shell with a damp washcloth? I am really hoping to put them in the incubator today because it has been on for about a month waiting for these little eggs to come. Here are some pictures of the eggs:
You can kinda see the dirt and stuff on them. I'm just worried it will get bacteria in the incubator

 

[Snakeoil]

I agree that you can't wait any longer because of the age of the eggs, I personally would not wash or clean in any way they are not filthy looking to me. Good Luck.

 

[crazy cat lady]

They don't look any dirtier than the eggs my ducks and chickens lay. In fact, my duck eggs look dirtier more times than not.

 

[chiknlady]

The reason they sent them dirty is to protect the embryo inside--when an egg is hatched there is a natural protectant called the bloom which is kinda sticky and it seals out bacteria from the porous shell of the egg. It allows air inside to escape, but keeps germs out. If you wash your eggs prior to incubation--you destroy the bloom and can actually force bacteria into the shell thereby destroying the unborn chick. The fertilized egg is the perfect medium to harbor growing germs...if you want to clean them a bit--use a dry cloth and try to dust off any major dirt/waste...

good luck on your hatch