Can an egg survive

[CalebMS]

Can an egg survive for a few hours in the cold, and still be incubated And hatch?

 

[Anon112]

I think it would depend on how cold it got. A frozen or near frozen egg? I'd think not.

How cold did it get? (ie what was the outside temp where the egg was?)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I've heard of people successfully hatching eggs that had been refrigerated. Perhaps the question is, how cold?

 

[BairleaFarm]

Cold, yes. Frozen, NO. Ive seen people hatch refrigerated eggs with lower hatch rates.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Depends on how cold and (probably) how long. I have 42 eggs in the incubator right now, several of which were collected on brutally cold days and marked as "cold" because they were very chilled by the time we got to them. So far only one looks to be clear, although I have 5 that look like they started and quit by day 7. We all know not to count our chickens before they've hatched, and I think i remember reading that cold eggs have a higher likelihood of late stage embryonic death, but I'm encouraged by the development so far.

 

[R2elk]

As I recall, if the temperature gets down to 27°F, it will kill the egg. I have successfully incubated turkey eggs that were picked up from a ground nest in the morning after having the nighttime air temperature get down to 20°F.

I suspect the ground temperature prevented the eggs from getting as cold as the air temperature.

 

[CalebMS]

I got an egg that has been out for at least 2 hours and I think it was 25-30 degrees on the outside

 

[Finchbreeder]

I always go on the assumption that they can - but it does not get below 0C here.
Afterall quail lay eggs all over the place all year round - then decide to collect them and sit. Some of those always seem to hatch - accept occasionally in mid summer when they have cooked in the shells.
Mother has had the odd budgie that did not sit well in winter, was about to throw out the eggs that were 4/5 days past due, when one or two pipped.

 

[R2elk]

I got an egg that has been out for at least 2 hours and I think it was 25-30 degrees on the outside

Make sure you let it warm up to room temperature before putting it in the incubator.

 

[CalebMS]

Make sure you let it warm up to room temperature before putting it in the incubator.

Ok!