Cool or cold for hatching eggs?

[Sakmeht]

Hi all,

I have to get rid of my rooster, and I have yet to hatch any eggs from my birds. The eggs in question will hatch out Olive eggers. I'm going to have to get rid of him shortly before we leave on vacation, and I'm going to want to hatch some eggs when I get back. I know the fertility will drop after a couple weeks without a roo, and so I'm torn whether to store the eggs I collect (immediately after he leaves the premises) in the refrigerator or in the cool crawl space under our house. It might be two weeks before I can set them and I know viability will be low, but I'm wondering what you think my best chances are? A long wait time plus cool storage? Or cold storage? (Or heck, maybe just leave them on my counter in room temps? Low 70's?) I have heard decent things about eggs hatching from eggs that were in the fridge, but I don't know how fresh those eggs were, either.

Thanks!

Sarita

Edited to add that I do have an incubator but don't feel comfy letting it run while I'm gone. I'd only have someone in twice a day to feed animals. I may have a friend who can run my incubator for me, but she's never run one before. So, that's a possibility, but her vacation time might conflict.

 

[Sid Post]

Why are you getting rid of the rooster? Can't you keep him a couple extra weeks?

 

[WalnutHill]

Do you have a turner? If not, I'd say save three dozen from the known fertile eggs and store in the crawl space, and about two dozen from the maybe fertile eggs when you get home. Load up the incubator, standing the eggs on their points and keep them all in until 10 days. Then candle and remove clears.

With a turner, I'd save three dozen from the known fertile and top up with the fresh eggs.

 

[Limpyduck]

I would avoid the fridge if your going to be gone for weeks. Having a turner (just the turner) would be a good idea to, I'm not an experienced hatcher but I know that between the time frame your talking about and just having the eggs sit there without being turned the hatchability will go down twice as much( well from what I've heard from others). If you really have no other options I agree with WalnutHill. But as far as your friend, teaching incubator basics should be okay if your expected to arrive before hatch day, and if you pre-calibrate everything for her before you leave, show her the proper way the handle them for candling and ask her to send you pictures if it's possible( because of her own vacation), you may even want to try both, store several eggs in the crawl space and see if she can watch some others for you, that way if only a couple hatch from each group you would still have a decent number of chicks.
But I guess ultimately it's going to be between what you want to do and what you can do.

I hope it turns out well for you either way

 

[Sakmeht]

Thanks guys, you've given me some good food for thought. I think my friend will be able to hatch them out for me. I'll keep some known fertile eggs in my turner in case the hatch goes poorly, and then yes, top up with the less fertile eggs when I get back.
Thanks so much!