collecting eggs for the incubator

[Grego6610]

Hi,

I have a specific question as to when an egg starts to develop, meaning how long does a chicken have to sit on the clutch for the process to start ?

Here is my scenario, I have a barnyard mix of chickens, ducks and turkeys. All are happy to add to each others clutch and sit on all the eggs. I work 12hr shifts and by the time I come home to collect the eggs for the incubator someone might have been sitting on them for 12 hours. At this point has the incubation process started and is it irreversible if stopped ?

It takes me a week to collect a big enough sample for the incubator, does this mean that once sat on for 12 hours, then held in the basement for a week without supplemental heat those eggs are no longer viable ?


Thanks
Greg

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Hi,

I have a specific question as to when an egg starts to develop, meaning how long does a chicken have to sit on the clutch for the process to start ?

Here is my scenario, I have a barnyard mix of chickens, ducks and turkeys. All are happy to add to each others clutch and sit on all the eggs. I work 12hr shifts and by the time I come home to collect the eggs for the incubator someone might have been sitting on them for 12 hours. At this point has the incubation process started and is it irreversible if stopped ?

It takes me a week to collect a big enough sample for the incubator, does this mean that once sat on for 12 hours, then held in the basement for a week without supplemental heat those eggs are no longer viable ?


Thanks
Greg

While not ideal to wait 12 hours to gather eggs, I think if used within a week most should be okay. I had a hen three days in to setting get on the wrong nest for an entire day when it was in the 40s and 50s outside and most of the eggs still developed. I'm not nearly as experienced as other people on this topic!