First egg! Now what?

[Cat Ballou]

How long can fertilized eggs be stored for?

Got my very first egg yesterday! My first choice is to keep hatching them out under broodies until I have 25 layers but my 2 pullets have zero broody inclinations

I have an incubator but I live in a van. Midwinter is a very difficult time to maintain 99-102 degrees day & night for 3 straight weeks.

I am considering these options:

1) There is a listing for incubator services for hire about an hours drive from me. Or enlist a friend or family member to run the incubator for me.

2) Sell fertilized eggs but I’m only working with 2 pullets and the other hasn’t started yet.

3) Eat the eggs but it’s like eating your seed stores when you need them for your garden.

The next dilemma is that I have limited space right now. I don’t have a coop on my property yet. I built a small coop in my van for several reasons. I’m trying to sell my timber and and my local loggers are older and dealing with major health issues. I want to clear some land, then put up electric fencing to deter predators (dogs are the worst and there are also raccoons, bears, panthers, and fox.)

So if I’m hatching out chicks produced by my small flock of 4, do I integrate them as though I outsourced them from a hatchery or other place? Are they essentially strangers then?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

The first eggs from pullets are usually small and not really viable for hatching. You may find, for awhile, small eggs, soft-shell eggs, misshapen eggs, or even very large and double-yolk eggs - none of which are good for incubating. And the pullets won't be broody until springtime hormones kick in and eggs are adequately formed to develop chicks. I recommend you enjoy the bounty for your breakfast for a few months, until they're laying good sized eggs and have all the kinks worked out. That'll give you time to build a coop and prepare for chicks.