Holding Eggs Before Incubation, and ???

[HH.Wench]

1. Can I collect eggs from the coop (no broody hens) and hold them several days before they go into incubator? If so, conditions, how many days, room temp, etc?

2, I have no broody hen so how long can they sit in the coop on a 50 degree morning before collecting?

Anything else I need to know? I read an article that lists the perfect recommendations, but looking for real life experiences and tricks.

The USPS seems to have lost my incubator from Amazon, so I would like to start collecting eggs while I wait if possible.

Anyone use this incubator, or have suggestions about it? It looked like a decent starter with decent reviews for 61.00.

 

[cmom]

Most would say up to 10 days on the eggs and then they may loose viability. I have hatched out older eggs but the hatch rate was lower. You can collect the eggs for a few days but I would bring them inside. The eggs won't start developing until the proper heat is applied. A broody may lay eggs for a few days before she actually sits on them. When she sits on them in earnest then they will begin to develop and they will all hatch out within usually a day or two.

 

[sourland]

Most folks suggest holding eggs no longer than ten days. Think about that - it can take a broody hen far longer than that to create a clutch and set. Realistically, perhaps 2 weeks is a good cut off point; although, I have held eggs longer than that - approx. 65 F and 50 -60 % humidity in clean trays and turned twice daily. I doubt that half a day at 50 F would have a negative effect on hatching eggs. Good luck.

 

[cmom]

I haven't used one of those incubators. Please post how your hatch goes. Good luck and have fun...

 

[HH.Wench]

Most would say up to 10 days on the eggs and then they may loose viability. I have hatched out older eggs but the hatch rate was lower. You can collect the eggs for a few days but I would bring them inside. The eggs won't start developing until the proper heat is applied. A broody may lay eggs for a few days before she actually sits on them. When she sits on them in earnest then they will begin to develop and they will all hatch out within usually a day or two.

Do I need to allow a pile to collect to activate the brooding instinct? If so, how long and how many should pile up?

 

[HH.Wench]

Most folks suggest holding eggs no longer than ten days. Think about that - it can take a broody hen far longer than that to create a clutch and set. Realistically, perhaps 2 weeks is a good cut off point; although, I have held eggs longer than that - approx. 65 F and 50 -60 % humidity in clean trays and turned twice daily. I doubt that half a day at 50 F would have a negative effect on hatching eggs. Good luck.

Thank you!

 

[HH.Wench]

I haven't used one of those incubators. Please post how your hatch goes. Good luck and have fun...

Will do. It says it turns the eggs, but I cant figure out how it turns them exactly by looking at the pictures. Will see.

 

[cmom]

I'm getting a little disappointed in Amazon. I ordered a new game camera. It came but was not the one I ordered so I set up a return and ordered another one thinking they must have just grabbed the wrong camera. The second camera came and again it was the wrong camera, not the one advertised. I returned it too. Now I'm leery of ordering. I did report it but haven't heard a thing. I included a message and a picture of the ad with the camera I ordered and a picture of the camera that was delivered twice with the returns.

 

[cmom]

Do I need to allow a pile to collect to activate the brooding instinct? If so, how long and how many should pile up?

You can't make a female go broody. Soon it will be the season for those who may want to brood. It depends on how many eggs your incubator will hold. I have a cabinet and the racks I have will hold a total of 324 eggs. I do staggered hatches. Good luck and have fun...

 

[muddy75]

1. Can I collect eggs from the coop (no broody hens) and hold them several days before they go into incubator? If so, conditions, how many days, room temp, etc?

2, I have no broody hen so how long can they sit in the coop on a 50 degree morning before collecting?

Anything else I need to know? I read an article that lists the perfect recommendations, but looking for real life experiences and tricks.

The USPS seems to have lost my incubator from Amazon, so I would like to start collecting eggs while I wait if possible.

Anyone use this incubator, or have suggestions about it? It looked like a decent starter with decent reviews for 61.00.

i used that incubator for 2 chicken and 2 quail hatch. you will want to get a 2nd thermometer to calibrate temp and an aux hygrometer (calibrated) using the turner 9 large eggs is best fit. watch humidity closely especially at lockdown and hatch. (with chickens i was adding about 1/8 c water daily until lockdown) and then as needed until hatch.