Can a fertile egg be refrigerated and later be put in an incubator?

jay2009begenner

Hatching
10 Years
Jun 15, 2009
2
1
7
Hi. I was just wondering if I could store fertile eggs in a refrigerator or what can I do to keep them safe until I can get an incubator. Any info will greatly help.
 

rebecca10782

Songster
11 Years
Apr 24, 2008
1,602
16
181
I am not an expert, but I have read here that you should not put them in the fridge. If you collect them, don't wash them and set them at room temperature until you want to hatch them.
 

sonew123

Poultry Snuggie
11 Years
Mar 16, 2009
25,016
116
421
onchiota NY
Well..I have 2 in the bator Im doing a "test" on-they are due Wednesday! growing just like the others-they were in for a bout 5-7 days! wish me luck-with the temps getting hotter and there wasnt a pot in my house that was cool I just kept putting them in fridge-so the ones I had out for 3 days and the 2 from the ridge I wung it!
 

Davaroo

Poultry Crank
12 Years
Feb 4, 2007
5,517
120
308
Leesville, SC
Heres the deal:
You shouldnt put them in the fridge, as the temps are cold enough to probably kill the fertilised blastoderm.

Notice I said "shouldnt" and "probably?" While what I said is true, it is also a fact that people do put refrigerated eggs in the incubator and they do hatch. Not as well, but it happens. It is simply that the odds are against it.

The best way to store fertilised eggs is at temps between 55 and 65 degrees, Rh of 65-70%. If you cant manage that, cool will do and try not to hold them longer than 10 days. Turn them, or tip their holder/cartons a couple times each day while they are in storage.
 

twinlights

Songster
11 Years
Jun 26, 2008
280
2
119
Massachusetts
Well, I am no expert, actually very bad at hatching.
But, I put one of my EE eggs that had been in the fridge in the incubator and it hatched.
thumbsup.gif

I don't recomend storing them that way though.
 
Last edited:

sonew123

Poultry Snuggie
11 Years
Mar 16, 2009
25,016
116
421
onchiota NY
I dont recommend it either-but I was just "seeing" if it would work for me because I am desperate to get hens for the fall and winter for eggs-My last hatch I got 12 roos out of 14! So I took every egg I had-that the broody didnt steal first and threw in bator-
 

Wifezilla

Positively Ducky
11 Years
Oct 2, 2008
11,199
174
311
Colorado
About a month or so back, someone bought a carton of fertilized eggs from trader joes and hatched them. They had been in the refrigerator case.

Is it recommended? No. Can you hatch out chicks anyway? Yes.
 

The Wolf Queen

Songster
10 Years
May 2, 2009
3,003
57
211
Albuquerque, NM
Ive done it. I had 10 fridge eggs developing and one got stepped on day 15. Then for the remaining 9, only 5 hatched. All 9 probably would have if it hadnt been my EE eggs. I think there is something wrong with the genes in my two EEs. This has only happened with THEIR eggs. Nuts!!! Untill next year they are my only EEs
hit.gif
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Top Bottom