Egg storage question??

[arbucklemurphy]

My sone is hatching his modern game bantams in and incubator this year. Last year we tried letting the hens sit but they were not very good moms most of them left the nest before the eggs hatched. So we are now incubating but how long can we store the fertile eggs before putting them in the bator. We currently have a batch of 12 in there due to hatch on 3/21 I would rather wait and have batches about this size so we don't have a bunch of chicks all at different ages. But how long is too long to wait before putting them in the incubator. He has been collecting them daily and putting them in egg cartons and tipping them everyday for some rotation large end up. Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks

 

[Texasboy4ever]

I have read that you can keep them up to 5 days in a temp of about 55 to 60 after 5 days the fertility is questionable. At that temp the eggs won't start to develop. That's just what I have read. I have collected eggs for 4 days and left them in the coop outside with temps getting to freezing. I put 35 in the bator they are scheduled to hatch tomorrow but about half have already hatched out and are in the Brooder Room

 

[arbucklemurphy]

Mine are about 7 days old have we waited too long or is it still a possibiltiy they will hatch. I thought since it took the hen a week or so to lay a clutch we'd be safe but maybe not? Our problems is the hens we have laying currently only lay everyother day and everyone is not laying yet the weather just started to get good here this last week and that seems to be their cue to start at least in my past experience. Do you think if we put them in today there is a chance they'd hatch or not?