How Do You Maintain Pre-Incubation Temps in Florida?

[FLQuailChick]

Hi!

Because I live in Florida, the temperature in my house rarely gets below 75F. I've read in several different places that if you're collecting eggs for several days to incubate that they should be kept around 55F. Obviously my fridge is too cold, my house is too warm, and there aren't any basements in this part of Florida. So, what's the best method to keep eggs cool?

Esp. with small enough flocks that having a dedicated fridge would be an unreasonable expense.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

try craigs list for a small wine cooler..You can set temp I keep mine a 65 works great...

 

[Swamp Roo]

Haven't had much of a problem here in the Ft Myers area. I've found that my quail lay either early or late in the day when it is "cooler". So I check the pens first thing and last thing. My AC is set at 80* during the day, so your 75* should be even better. Besides, if you start hatching eggs, and even if only some of them hatch you will begin breeding quail that lay eggs that can "handle it". Now if you leave the eggs outside (for prolonged periods) then you will have some issues. I say go for it, even if you have less than stellar hatch rates, the eggs were "free".

Swamp

 

[halo]

I just keep mine on the counter until Im ready to set them. I have my A/C set at 80 during the day, and have never had a problem with good incubation rates, even with eggs that were several weeks old.

 

[silentrunning]

We have our air set at 78 degrees and keep the eggs on the counter. I have consistantly had 90% or better hatch rates and even have had 2 week old eggs hatch just fine.

Doug

 

[FLQuailChick]

Great! Thanks guys.

 

[Ironsun]

Hi,

While I was at Poultry collage, I got talking to a Nigerian student and the subject of climate and egg storage came up.

In the poorer villages when they need egg, they collect them as normal from their hens etc, and save them in a pit they have dig in the gound, a sheet of wood over the hole and covered over with soil.

As the temperature was a lot lower than above ground they kept them from going off.Incubators were often placed in the pits too, as outside temperature got very high.

Maybe someone in the hotter parts of the states could try something simular and let us know how it went?

Ironsun.

 

[ksukristin]

I'm in the desert heat of AZ and I've been concerned about egg storage as well. I'm getting ready to set my first eggs in the incubator this week. I keep my house at 85 during the day and 80 at night. This will be a good experiment!

Ironsun I am curious about the hole in the ground but with out poor soil conditions I am not sure I could even dig a decent hole! (lots of clay, etc. our dirt is like a rock and it's a miracle anything grows. I have lots of soil remediation I need to do before I could attempt it) plus is was 104 degrees out yesterday...so I'll stay in my 80-85 degrees and experiment until the winter here

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
ACTUALLY ASIDE FROM THE WORK OF DIGGING THE HOLE IN THAT STUFF THAT TYPE OF SOIL WOULD BE IDEAL--- THE HARD PACKED CLAY WILL RETAIN ITS SHAPE AND YOU WONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT "SHORING UP" THE WALLS TO PREVENT COLLAPSE. ALSO THE CLAY IS LESS HEAT CONDUCTIVE SO IT WILL STAY A MORE CONSTANT TEMPERATURE...

 

[JJMR794]

I Keep All My Eggs On The Kitchen Counter In A Spare Egg Turner. Temps Range Anywhere From 68 To 80. They Do Fine.