Collecting and handling eggs for hatching

[cluckfan]

What are some of the ways that you peeps out there handle your hatching eggs? What I am asking is when you are in the process of collecting enough eggs to make a dozen, how do you store them, and for how long? There seems to be different opinions. I would like to hear yours!

 

[gingerly1983]

I collect for 7 days and I keep them fat end up in a carton on the counter away from anything with heat. They're not in the kitchen. I keep the room temp at 70 degrees. I put a stack of Post-its under one end of the carton so they tilt, then I put the Post-its under the opposite end later. Mine get 'turned' 3-4 times daily.I know they're SUPPOSED to be stored at a cooler temp, but I don't really have anywhere cooler to store them. The fridge is too cold. I have good hatch rates with my own eggs.

 

[tec27]

I keep mine for weeks. I turn maybe once a day. Whenever i remember. I have great hatch rates. Mine are kept in my basement. Roughly 60 degrees.

 

[phoenixrotts]

This is our first year with chickens. We have a small flock that consists of 8 SS hens who recently started laying, a SS Roo, a barred rock hen, an EE hen and an EE Roo. I would like to try hatching some eggs in the spring but have no clue what to do. Can someone walk me through a step by step process of when to collect eggs, how to know if they will hatch, how long to store them before incubating, etc. Anything and everything one would need to know to hatch eggs from backyard chickens.

Thanks!!

 

[Krischick]

7 days of collection as i have 8 hens..store them fat end up in a clean egg carton at temps.very close to 60 degreesin a dark place