How long are fertile eggs viable before they start to incubate?

[Jewellan]

I will never buy shipped eggs again either. I bought 38 eggs. 8 of them hatched. And they were expensive. Each chicken ended up costing me nearly $20 dollars each. I have a Silkie roo and 4 hens. I am going to put their eggs in the incubator, I plan to go 14 days. I am getting an average of 3 a day, that will be 42 eggs so I should be just shy of the 48 maximum that the incubator can hold.

 

[supersymmetry]

I have had good success with incubating eggs as old as 21 days. Most will recommend holding eggs for a far shorter period of time. A lot depends upon how the eggs are stored and handled prior to setting. I always kept my eggs in an earthen cellar - temps around 65 degrees and humidity around 60 % or better. Eggs were kept in clean trays and turned daily. Stop and think about a hen laying a clutch of eggs - an egg every other day until she has a dozen eggs equals 24 days prior to incubation.

There is a wide range of viability between 'home grown' and shipped eggs. Shipped eggs are a crap shoot to begin with. The maximum 10 day rule probably does apply to shipped eggs.

As we approach hatching season, (I've already started) I just wanted to echo @sourland here... I've had the best success with our 'homegrown' eggs up to 3 weeks (and as much as 4) as long as they are cared for properly.

That means: 1) collected regularly throughout the day 2) handled with care (and not washed!) and turned periodically 3) stored in my root cellar (which ranges from 37F-50F and similar humidity)

Anyone else care to share their experience?

I have little experience with shipped eggs. Primarily because of all the myriad of factors that could reduce viability. Make sure you buy eggs from someone who has reviews. You often get what you pay for, but then again, you might not!

 

[chickengr]

bad luck with shipped eggs - arrived rotten.

just hatched an egg laid on 31st december, set on 19th january. the only one hatched due to low temperature - first incubator, first time hatching in incubator - lesson learned.

I kept the eggs in a cool room in egg cartoons. didn't wash them and turned them once a day. I always collect them a few times a day.

 

[southernhusky]

Not to hijack this thread but I am just wondering, if I'm collecting eggs from a hen that went broody(and any others eggs that are laid in this "community" box) how long from when they are laid(and kept warm by broody) do they start incubating?

I'm checking for eggs 2-3 times a day but the eggs are usually pretty warm....I know this could be from her sitting or from them being freshly laid. Can I keep these a few days before setting or do they really need to be incubated immediately?

Eggs are pretty warm when laid fresh, so my precise question is what "triggers the beginning of incubation"? Being around 100F for a couple hours? 1 hour? A full day?

I'd rather give her some eggs closer to hatching from my incubator. Would I *have* to wait 2-3 weeks or would she still respond well to hatching chicks in say a week of going broody?

 

[southernhusky]

bad luck with shipped eggs - arrived rotten.

just hatched an egg laid on 31st december, set on 19th january. the only one hatched due to low temperature - first incubator, first time hatching in incubator - lesson learned.

I kept the eggs in a cool room in egg cartoons. didn't wash them and turned them once a day. I always collect them a few times a day.

It really does make a big difference in how they packed and how far away they have to travel. If your buying eggs I'd make sure to find out how they will be packaged.

I bought eggs from way out northwest, 3 day priorirty, seller packed them all pointy end up...I think one was packed right...every single one rolling air cell and with good incubator I surprisingly still got 12 to hatch out of 36....I think 18 went into lockdown, I didn't turn these at all for the first week. These were tissue wrapped in egg carton, then egg carton wrapped and one box with crumbled newspaper.

Got 14 eggs from Jacksonville FL to southeast AL. 2 day priority. 2 quitters, 2-3 I think aren't developing, leaving about 9 that are developing right. None of the air cells were detattached, one saddly aircell, and that one that egg quit. Eggs bubbled wrapped and in carton, double boxed with more newspaper.

Got 21 eggs from CA. 3 day priority, 6 polish all developing, 15 guinea eggs and only about 5 that aren't developing. Packed superbly, bubbled wrapped eggs in carton with shredded paper taking up extra space in carton. Cartons double box with packing peanuts between boxes. The box even arrived with one size dented and no cracked eggs.

 

[chickengr]

It really does make a big difference in how they packed and how far away they have to travel. If your buying eggs I'd make sure to find out how they will be packaged.

I bought eggs from way out northwest, 3 day priorirty, seller packed them all pointy end up...I think one was packed right...every single one rolling air cell and with good incubator I surprisingly still got 12 to hatch out of 36....I think 18 went into lockdown, I didn't turn these at all for the first week. These were tissue wrapped in egg carton, then egg carton wrapped and one box with crumbled newspaper.

Got 14 eggs from Jacksonville FL to southeast AL. 2 day priority. 2 quitters, 2-3 I think aren't developing, leaving about 9 that are developing right. None of the air cells were detattached, one saddly aircell, and that one that egg quit. Eggs bubbled wrapped and in carton, double boxed with more newspaper.

Got 21 eggs from CA. 3 day priority, 6 polish all developing, 15 guinea eggs and only about 5 that aren't developing. Packed superbly, bubbled wrapped eggs in carton with shredded paper taking up extra space in carton. Cartons double box with packing peanuts between boxes. The box even arrived with one size dented and no cracked eggs.

mine were packed well but were sitting at the airport for about 6 hours at 42 celsius, not to mention that they were thrown from 15 meters and fell down on the pile of the other packages. none broke for miracle. wrapped in sponge, bubbles and newspapers.

 

[southernhusky]

mine were packed well but were sitting at the airport for about 6 hours at 42 celsius, not to mention that they were thrown from 15 meters and fell down on the pile of the other packages. none broke for miracle. wrapped in sponge, bubbles and newspapers.

oh my. on an interesting note, I knew of someone who recieved a dz eggs, 8 having froze sitting on porch in 29 degree weather. 2 out of 4 still hatched, crazy

 

[Sherry Fay]

Ok, I have duck eggs that im collecting to hatch.. Should I not wash them?

 

[Sherry Fay]

No, you should never wash and eggs you are planning to hatch.

 

[innourish]

yes I have thought about that also...hmm someone needs to do an experiment to just how long eggs can be kept before you incubate..makes since that you could keep them for about a month because when you think about it the first ever chickens did not just set one 3-4 eggs they waited until they had 10-12 and depending on how often they laid it could take like you said 24 days or more to get enough eggs to sit on.

I took my rooster away about 10 days ago and there are about 11 eggs. My two hens are not really sitting on them. I am about to get another hen and hope they are that she might sit on them. What to do? will they still hatch if not sat upon in the interim?