Hatching eggs too old?

[Sissy]

I have found eggs from
a few my hens in a corner
of their coop
. I know they are over a month old.
Because I had clean out the place.

Would they still hatch if I put them under
a few broodys in another coop
I have,or are they too old.
sissy

 

[Bunnylady]

Usually, 10 days is about as long as anyone would want to hold eggs before setting them. At over a month old, I'd handle them very carefully; I'd be worried about them exploding and stinking the place up!

 

[4boysmom]

Hatchability goes down after a week or so. On the other hand, I pulled a few out of the fridge a few weeks ago to slip under a broody and had a couple hatch.

 

[zazouse]

I would not do it, if the eggs are already old they may just end up blowing up under the hen and contaminate everything it touches and Oh the smell.

If you have a few hens laying ,i would just collect fresh eggs for them to set.

 

[Kedreeva]

Agreed, be VERY careful handling them if they are that old. I've only had one egg explode on me (and it was a wild bird's egg as we were removing nests for construction, so it was TINY) and I know I never, EVER want to smell that again.

 

[onthespot]

I found some lavender orpington project eggs in an egg carton in the cupboard several weeks after I had re-homed that flock. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I put them in the incubator with everything else, and about half of them hatched. I ended up with three lavender orpingtons and three splits that I never would have had if I had not tried. It felt weird hatching weeks later than the first eggs hatched from the person who ended up with my birds! I say go for it. Some might go bad and pop, and ruin the whole clutch. If they are valuable to you, I say you have nothing to lose by trying. You will know shortly, in about five days, if any are developing. I'd definitley pull any that do not start to develop, and candle about every five days or so to make sure to pull anything that quits or gets a blood ring. Also, keep in mind, they may already have lost a lot of water, so candle them, and see if the air cell is really big I'd try them at a much higher humidity than normal. Good luck. Hopefully some of this info is helpful.

 

[zazouse]

I once did the float test on a batch of guinea eggs i found and 35 out of 42 made it to hatch day.

 

[Sissy]

Thanks everyone ,the next time if I find more hidden eggs.
I will just put them
in the bator.and see what happens I tossed
them out I didnt want a stinky explosion. But I should
have waited a lot more BYC s, have hatched a few
from old eggs.I am termpted to try store bought eggs
in the bator and see what happens maybe

Sissy