Egg incubation strategies - Storage and batching up!

[ahmedamir]

Hey Everyone, I recently finished up one batch of my eggs, though, had almost a disastrous hatch rate (3 out of a dozen almost) but yet that's my first time and I am glad that I still had 3 nice hatches and really enjoying the 3 fuzzballs . Now, I have got bantam cochins, 4 hens and one rooster. Two of them just started laying, around couple of days ago. Now, I was wondering to batch up the eggs to collect around a dozen eggs before setting them up in the bator. I don't wanna put them in there on daily basis as I think this was the mistake that I did last time. Can any one please guild me in this manner. My questions again:

- Pre-incubation storage instructions?
- Batching up strategies?
- Do I need to consume the earlier eggs of a chicken?

Thanks

 

[chickydee64]

Hey Everyone, I recently finished up one batch of my eggs, though, had almost a disastrous hatch rate (3 out of a dozen almost) but yet that's my first time and I am glad that I still had 3 nice hatches and really enjoying the 3 fuzzballs . Now, I have got bantam cochins, 4 hens and one rooster. Two of them just started laying, around couple of days ago. Now, I was wondering to batch up the eggs to collect around a dozen eggs before setting them up in the bator. I don't wanna put them in there on daily basis as I think this was the mistake that I did last time. Can any one please guild me in this manner. My questions again:

- Pre-incubation storage instructions?
- Batching up strategies?
- Do I need to consume the earlier eggs of a chicken?

Thanks

OK .I'll help as much as I can.

Egg storage.pointy end down in a cool place..50 degrees ideal.........turn at least thee times a day.
I put mine in an egg carton then lift one end of the carton about 45 degrees......tipping the other end next time.
Some folks hand turn them putting an x on one side of the egg and an o on the other .then roll them . These are stored flat of course.

I set eggs on the same day every week.. Sunday for me .that way I am not opening the incubator during a lockdown period.
Also I know every Thursday is lock down for a batch.
I use colored pens to mark the eggs I put in and mark on the calendar in the same colored ink.....Helps me keep track
and I can see which eggs go to lockdown easily. Oh, I have two incubators.one just for lockdown/ hatch.

I do not know how to stagger hatches with one incubator but I know people do it................
Good luck to you..........there really is a lot to learn.....one of the things I love about hatching.
Learning all the time................

I have read eggs are good to eat for quite awhile.............

 

[ahmedamir]

OK .I'll help as much as I can.

Egg storage.pointy end down in a cool place..50 degrees ideal.........turn at least thee times a day.
I put mine in an egg carton then lift one end of the carton about 45 degrees......tipping the other end next time.
Some folks hand turn them putting an x on one side of the egg and an o on the other .then roll them . These are stored flat of course.

I set eggs on the same day every week.. Sunday for me .that way I am not opening the incubator during a lockdown period.
Also I know every Thursday is lock down for a batch.
I use colored pens to mark the eggs I put in and mark on the calendar in the same colored ink.....Helps me keep track
and I can see which eggs go to lockdown easily. Oh, I have two incubators.one just for lockdown/ hatch.

I do not know how to stagger hatches with one incubator but I know people do it................
Good luck to you..........there really is a lot to learn.....one of the things I love about hatching.
Learning all the time................

I have read eggs are good to eat for quite awhile.............

Thanks chickydee64, that's really helpful. Yes, I have one bator, Let's hope someone else help me with that too.

 

[ahmedamir]

I checked local temp here. It's about 86 F with 66% humidity . Is it good to store them @ room temp in such weather.