Can chilled eggs be hatched?

[ih66series]

If I put eggs in the refridgerator, can I pull them out, let them sit and then put them in an incubator?

 

[Stacykins]

Yes, but the fertility rate will be lower, provided they were fertile in the first place. And how old they are. People here have successfully hatched store bought fertile eggs (some specialty shops sell them), and those eggs were refrigerated like any other grocery store egg.

 

[ih66series]

They are only 1-2 days old.

 

[branston]

I had my Silkies eggs in the fridge for a couple of days when she went broody and someone here told me to get them out of the fridge, let them get to room temp and them pop them back under her. She hatched both chicks on the 21st! Both perfectly healthy!

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

What temperature is your fridge? I've hatched eggs from my own hens beginning as early as January so long as the daytime temperatures were in the mid-forties and I brought the eggs in before temperatures lowered to the thirties overnight. You might not have as high a hatching rate as you otherwise would, but it's still possible to hatch eggs kept around 45 degrees.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Unless I mail ordered them all of my hatching eggs are refrigerated. They get washed, dried, the into the fridge they go until I have enough to do what I want.

Then they all get sanitized in a warm water/bleach dip for one minute then into the incubation trays still wet. A few minutes to dry then into the incubator they go.

I typically get better than 90% hatch rate on my chickens. 85% with turkeys. This is with my own eggs. Shipped eggs are another matter entirely.

 

[ih66series]

These will be my own eggs. I guess my fridge is around 35 degrees. I don't know. It's above freezing!

 

[deerman]

eggs at 40 to 50 degree hatch better than those stored at 70+ temp. as long as eggs are turned once aday


I have hatch many that were in the fridge.

 

[202roosterlane]

Now that's interesting!

 

[deerman]

yes warm eggs ,or once stored in a dry area , lose moisture, air cell will get larger (just like when you incubate) also tell old eggs by size of air cell.

ideas storage temp about 55 degree...high humdity ,but not so high as to form water on egg shell.

Also best to stored large end up.