Fertile Egg Questions

[wbruder17]

I'm waiting for my Silkie Machine to go broody. While I wait....

1. How long do fertile eggs stay viable? I want to hatch certain eggs, and I started putting some aside, but want to know how long they stay good.

2. Is there any way to find out which hen is laying the egg other than seperating her? I know who lays which, but some look exactly like others when together. I seperated the hens to find out, but I don't want to have to do this constantly. I think I heard of something like food coloring/ dying the vent???

Thanks!

 

[LarryPQ]

When you start putting lipstick on your chicken's bottoms, you know you have a problem. Separating your girls is the best way to know for sure. You CAN do the food coloring thing, but you'll need to keep good records and lots of colors.

In ideal conditions, fertility starts to drop off around day 10. I've hatched much older, but hatch rate drops dramatically.

 

[wbruder17]

I'm going to start dating them. And I'm also going to try to entice my hatchers to go broody.

 

[wbruder17]

Oh! And what is the ideal temperature/ condition to store them? Small side down....... then?

 

[LarryPQ]

55-65 degrees. Small end down.