First time Hatching Please HeLp

[msrma7670]

Thank you for looking!

I have a newly purchased hova bator genesis with turner. I have several hens that are laying right now and would like to try to hatch some. I getting about 5-7 eggs a day. Yes they are Rir, EE, barred rocks, wyandotts, red stars.
QUESTION: How long can i collect them before I should start incubating them?
Are there any good websites for general hatching practices that will describe the overal care until the hatch?
Do I need to leave the egge out on the counter or fridge them? And at what temp?




Thank you very much
A NOVICE

 

[Tuffoldhen]

You can start storing your eggs in a basket or open egg cartons on the kitchen counter.....No refridgeration!... You can collect upto 10 day before setting them in the incubator...I always tilt the eggs in the basket from one side to the other acouple times a day to keep the yolk from setting to one side....Hope this helped...

 

[skeeter9]

Hi there,
Tuffoldhen is a pro at all this chicken stuff, so you can always take her advice. Also, toward the top of this topic you will see a post that has "sticky" next to it and it's titled something like "Care of Incubating Eggs" - not sure exactly.

Happy reading and good luck with your hatch!!!

Lori

 

[NYREDS]

You can hold them for 7 days w/o any loss of viability. After 7 days there is a
progressive decrease in viability. It's a minimal decrease out to 14 days where it begins to drop off sharply. 10 days is fine. I hold for 7 because it's easier for me to set & hatch on weekends. [I have this pesky job I have to go to during the week]