Can you incubate refrigerated eggs?

[Oncoming Storm]

So, my mom would really like to have some fertilized eggs from a breeder she found but the minimum purchase is 12 eggs and my incubator can only safely hold six eggs at a time. Can we put fertilized eggs in the fridge and then incubate them after the first six hatch or will the embryos die?

 

[SilverBirds]

So, my mom would really like to have some fertilized eggs from a breeder she found but the minimum purchase is 12 eggs and my incubator can only safely hold six eggs at a time. Can we put fertilized eggs in the fridge and then incubate them after the first six hatch or will the embryos die?

Eggs from the fridge are iffy. Some people have had great success and some terrible with it. Viability drops dramatically after one week. I'd only let eggs sit for two weeks though hatch rates will be low. Having eggs sit for 21+ days, fridge or not, will have a VERY low rate, almost 0%.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

They will likely die. Sorry for the bad news. You could try, and may be lucky if one or two hatch, but I wouldn't get your hopes up. Convince your mom that you must have a bigger incubator for all 12 eggs.

 

[nuthatched]

There are no embryos in an egg until after a day of incubation, but 3 weeks is too long for good chances with any eggs, let alone with shipped eggs.

 

[nuthatched]

Buy a bigger bator?

 

[rjmyooper]

Put 6 of them on a heating pad, with a moist towel and turn them 4 times a day.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

So, my mom would really like to have some fertilized eggs from a breeder she found but the minimum purchase is 12 eggs and my incubator can only safely hold six eggs at a time. Can we put fertilized eggs in the fridge and then incubate them after the first six hatch or will the embryos die?

2 of my ducks, Raspberry & Blackberry were farmers market eggs that sat in the fridge for like a week and a half-2 weeks. I incubated 3 from the carton and 2 hatched.

 

[TXChookstead]

I think it may depend on how old the eggs were when they went into the fridge, and how long they stay there. I have a batch going now that includes both unrefrigerated and formerly-refrigerated eggs. Some of the newer eggs that were refrigerated for a shorter time are developing, but the older ones are not.

There is a chance that they would be ok, but I really wouldn't risk it if they are important to you. Three weeks is a long time for them to be cold. Could you borrow an incubator?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

@BelovedBirds hatched store bought eggs from a fridge
I myself only sell 6 at a time as I have one mature female that lays eggs
I won’t sell any eggs past 10 Days of being laid so they have best fertility
That being said I did throw in eggs 12-20 days after being laid in my bator 10 days ago and only one quit at day 3 the other 7 eggs are going strong
I think it has a lot to do with how they are stored , how good the fertility is
How strong the eggs genes are Ect
Maybe you could find a second bator second hand or borrow another one ?
If not you could just pick 6 of the eggs and incubate them