Does refrigerating fertile eggs increase storage time?

[QuailMan6666]

Does refrigerating fertile eggs increase their storage time until they can be place in the incubator?

 

[casportpony]

Does refrigerating fertile eggs increase their storage time until they can be place in the incubator?

A refrigerator is too cold.

 

[BobStuart]

Interesting question. I do not suggest it though.

 

[Huntmaster]

Does refrigerating fertile eggs increase their storage time until they can be place in the incubator?

As @casportpony stated to cold and being frost free they dry eggs out faster than normal storage.

 

[Debbie292d]

Does refrigerating fertile eggs increase their storage time until they can be place in the incubator?

I wouldn't suggest it, but I've done it. I had been saving to set eggs and didn't want my fresher ones to be over two weeks old. I was shy about 6 eggs from having two dozen (just a few silkie hens were laying).

I grabbed 8 from the fridge. 5 of 8 hatched. That's a crappy hatch rate, but not if you consider they came from the fridge and were at least two weeks old.

 

[Bantams182]

We just hatched 9 from out of the refrigerator that had been in there a week or a little longer, all 9 hatched. Had place 4 under one broody and 5 under another, 100% hatch rate. OEGB eggs.

 

[mcdze]

i will have to say yes, but really only because in the warm months it can cause issues if your trying to keep eggs for a week to get a batch together .. air conditioning is no good .. outdoors fluctuates too much .. the fridge it is .. i suggest the 'crisper' drawer to reduce moisture loss, ideally turn them twice a day, lay em on a towel or something so theyre not bumping around, and imo a week is really it .. you can push more time but your mortality rate starts increasing exponentially 'in or out' of the fridge .. but yeah, i got a whole batch of about 25 i took out of the fridge roasting in the bator as we speak, alive and kickin ...
oh, another thing, when you take them out of the fridge, DO, let them acclimate to room temp ideally in the ac so they dont sweat, thats bad juju .. i usually load them directly in the bator with the top off if your already set up and know the settings are right ..then after they chill a couple hours, turn the bator on and get um rockin ..