Egg safety

[Jeff L]

I am wondering how long is it safe to keep a infertile egg once it's dropped til it has to be refrigerated?

Also how long can I keep a fertile egg before I have to incubate?

Thanks and look forward to the info!!

 

[jbuzbee]

I'd like to know as well

 

[Fat Daddy]

I am wondering how long is it safe to keep a infertile egg once it's dropped til it has to be refrigerated?

Also how long can I keep a fertile egg before I have to incubate?

Thanks and look forward to the info!!

About ten days for incubation..... I try to keep it at 7-8 for chickens and quail. Hatch rates start to drop off pretty sharp after ten day. Chukar are the exception to this rule. They actually hatch better after they "season" a while, peaking at 21 days old..... here is a study about this from UCDavis... The third page of this PDF is a table that lays it out.....

http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/21321e.pdf

As to the eating eggs.... if they are unwashed farm fresh eggs. they can be stored on the counter top for weeks..... Its mostly just in the US that eggs are commonly refrigerated. This is because commercial egg producers wash their eggs. This is a link to a study i found to be a good read....

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe.aspx

EDIT TO ADD: Anyone that has ever received eggs from me knows my eggs get dated with a sharpie. I commonly allow my eggs, chicken, quail, chukar ect, Ride the turners on the counter top till they hit ten days old. After this I wont set them or send out to someone else as hatching eggs. They now go to a carton or large bowl, for the small eggs. At this point they are usually given away, eaten or pickled with in a week or so...... Rarely do they ever hit the frig..... I usually have folks asking for eating eggs I simply cant supply....