how do you guys store eggs before hatching?

[quailbrain]

You can do it for longer if you'd like. Many people have hatched older eggs but at 7 days is when they begin to decline

 

[ken429h]

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Yes, counter top for 7 or less days is fine!

Ken

 

[ksukristin]

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So to add to your question- how do you keep them cool without putting them in a refrigerator when you live in a warm climate?

(I keep it at 86 during the day and 83 at night in my house. Still feels darn nice after coming inside from the 115 degree days we have here.)

good luck with your incubating shawn! let us know how it goes!

 

[ken429h]

Quote:
So to add to your question- how do you keep them cool without putting them in a refrigerator when you live in a warm climate?

(I keep it at 86 during the day and 83 at night in my house. Still feels darn nice after coming inside from the 115 degree days we have here.)

good luck with your incubating shawn! let us know how it goes!

I'm not sure what the highest low temp. is, that will kill an embryo but a standard refrigerator set properly (34-40 tops) for storing human food may be to low for storing fertile eggs. I don't recommend it!
If someone knows anything different, then please advise. PM OK.

The most cost effective way I can think of for storing hatching eggs if you can't do it on your counter top, or basement would be to get another refrigerator. One of those little $70 dorm refrigerators springs to mind. I think running one of those at the highest setting would be way cheaper than lowering the temp in an entire 2500+ square foot house 1 degree. My math could be off, but running one at around 60-70 deg. should be very cost effective.
Think of it as incubation in reverse.

My thoughts on long term (10+days) storage of eggs.
At some point you have a zero sum gain. To keep the math simple. If you have 1 hen laying 1 egg a day for 10 days, then at the 10th day you will most likely loose 1 of the oldest eggs. I know that is simplistic, but why I think a 7 day or less rule is adequate.

Good luck with your hatch Sean!
I'm expecting my last hatch of the year Monday 090709 +/- 6 hours, then I will dig in for the winter.

Ken