Can I set eggs at 9⁰ C before incubation?

[Kearaaaa23]

Hi everyone!
I am planning to do a hatch by the end of feb in the UK where temps will range from 8-12 degrees celcius with humidity around 60-80%. I was reading and you need to set eggs for up to a day before incubation. Would it be too cold for the eggs? If so how can I keep them warmer as to not kill or reduce fertility? I am getting the eggs from ebay and delivery is within 1-2 days. Any tips? Thanks!!

 

[Susan Skylark]

I’m not going to convert C to F (who invented that equation?!) but 0C is 32F and since fridge temps doesn’t seem to destroy fertility I’d say you’d be fine, just let them sit wide end up in the open air for 24 hours. Heat would be far worse for them. Cold doesn’t seem to hurt as long as they don’t freeze solid and crack the shell! You may lose a small percentage but in general I haven’t had issues. I’ve got 33/36 eggs developing right now (day 8) and they were either in the fridge a couple days or in the garage (33F) for several days and my 3 infertile are all from the same bird, so either she’s having issues or doesn’t like the male! Happy hatching!

 

[007Sean]

Hi everyone!
I am planning to do a hatch by the end of feb in the UK where temps will range from 8-12 degrees celcius with humidity around 60-80%. I was reading and you need to set eggs for up to a day before incubation. Would it be too cold for the eggs? If so how can I keep them warmer as to not kill or reduce fertility? I am getting the eggs from ebay and delivery is within 1-2 days. Any tips? Thanks!!

Your only talking about temperatures of 46°F to 53°F (8°C - 12°C). Normal refrigerator temps are 38°F to 40°F. (3.4°C to 4.5°C) so you'll be just fine. Be sure to turn the eggs once a day while they are in storage.
I personally, think that letting the eggs 'set' for 24 hours is a myth....if the eggs have had rough handling during shipping and the membrane has become detached, no amount of time is going to help 're-attach' the membrane....it's kinda like a scrambled egg at that point.

 

[nuthatched]

Where ate you keeping the eggs?

 

[Kearaaaa23]

Where ate you keeping the eggs?

In my living room where it usually is 12⁰ C

 

[nuthatched]

In my living room where it usually is 12⁰ C

With those temperatures, they'll be fine.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’m not going to convert C to F (who invented that equation?!)

It was necessary. As far as I know the United States, Thailand, and Liberia are the only countries that still use the Fahrenheit scale exclusively. We need to be able to communicate with the rest of the World so somebody had to create that formula.

I was reading and you need to set eggs for up to a day before incubation.

That is generally recommended for shipped eggs. I never have and have both horrible hatches and great hatches with shipped eggs. I have no idea how much it actually helps if it does.

Would it be too cold for the eggs?

The ideal temperature to store eggs for hatching is around 55 F (13 C). You are a lot closer than many of us manage and we still do OK.

 

[Kearaaaa23]

It was necessary. As far as I know the United States, Thailand, and Liberia are the only countries that still use the Fahrenheit scale exclusively. We need to be able to communicate with the rest of the World so somebody had to create that formula.


That is generally recommended for shipped eggs. I never have and have both horrible hatches and great hatches with shipped eggs. I have no idea how much it actually helps if it does.


The ideal temperature to store eggs for hatching is around 55 F (13 C). You are a lot closer than many of us manage and we still do OK.

Thank you for being so helpful!! It's my first hatch so I'm nervous and overthinking everything lol