Hatching Eggs In Fridge Or Room Temp??

[hippichick]

Just wondering where you keep your eggs while collecting them for incubation. Some people I've talked to say to keep them in the fridge, and others just keep them at room temperature. And how long is the longest anyone has kept eggs to incubate. Just curious to see what most of you do? I've been keeping them at room temperature which is usually around 70 degrees. I'm afraid to put them in the fridge.

Paula

 

[brahma-momma]

i had been keeping mine out but this last batch that i put in the bator i used 4 that i had refrigerated and chicks have developed i should know by the 25th if they are gonna hatch i have 1 peeping now.

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Good to know. I'm interested to see how that turns out. Let me know, please.

Paula

 

[Eggseronious]

I like to store mine around 50-55*

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I store mine in the house at room temperature.

-Kim

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Where do you store them at 50-55*. In the fridge? I have a mini fridge. I tried to get the temp to come up to 55, but the highest it would go was like 40. So I'm wondering where to store them to keep them at around 55*, or is it just as good to keep them at room temperature?

Paula

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Kim, do you get a pretty good hatch rate keeping them at room temp?
And how long is the longest you've kept eggs and still had them hatch?
Paula

 

[luvmychicknkids]

The last hatch I did had two eggs that had been refrigerated for at least a week. Both hatched fine and are healthy, happy, chickies. However, I don't think storing them in the fridge is recommended as I think it does seriously lower the expected hatch rate.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Kim, do you get a pretty good hatch rate keeping them at room temp?
And how long is the longest you've kept eggs and still had them hatch?
Paula

I get a pretty good hatch rate. The only ones that didn't hatch this year were infertile or my earliest batch was completely lost due to bator temps acting crazy.

I use the same method as a few friend of mine. My friends hatch and sell hundreds of chicks a year. They will store eggs up to two weeks, keeping them in the house. They keep the eggs in cartons and then carefully flip the cartons once a day. They do NOT ship these eggs, these are eggs they save for themselves to hatch. Shipped eggs are shipped and incubated as soon as possible.

-Kim

 

[hippichick]

I won't be shipping these. These are eggs from my hens that I incubate myself. I've been keeping them at room temp, and it seems to work fine for me. I've just been told by a few people that they keep them in the fridge, so I'm wondering what everyone here does. I think the longest I've kept eggs before incubation is 2 weeks. I've heard some say they can keep for up to 3 weeks, but I don't know about that. I've never tried.

Paula