How long can eggs be kept in the "bull pen" before incubating?

[Deputy Chicken]

I have collected fresh laid eggs over the last five days and stored them in the pantry, small ends down. Americauna and Campbell duck eggs.

How long will they remain viable? Want to hold out till I have 24 eggs, which should be in the next few days. Putting the oldest eggs at one week.

Temps in the pantry are around 60-70 degrees, I have no place to store them at 55 degrees

 

[Krischick]

7 days max.especially at those storage temps..

 

[LTygress]

Most people say 10-14 days. I just completed a hatch in early October of 6 eggs that had been in the REFRIGERATOR for up to 16 days. All of them developed, but one very-pourous one died about halfway in.

The longer you hold eggs, the lower the hatch rate. But it should still be high enough by the time you get your 24 to get VERY good results.

 

[Krischick]

Remember different fridge run different temp an if its to cold it will significantly reduce hatchability..Im currently running a batch today is day 15..i had started with 12 collected over7 days..i have lost 2...early 1 week they where from the 1 day collection..6 days left Buckeye X buff orphingtons and Buckeye X golden sexlink pretty brown eggs..

 

[LTygress]

Yes, but my fridge was set to 35 degrees - which is barely above freezing. Most refrigerators are only set to 40 degrees (Farenheit).

I actually started a thread on it, and some others jumped in with their results, or they are attempting it now. Mine weren't put in the fridge on purpose to be hatched later. They were put in the fridge to be eaten, and then I changed my mind.

What it DOES prove, is that the various temperatures we use to "hold" eggs before incubation, doesn't matter very much for the backyard hatcher. If we lose an egg here and there, no big deal. And most of us barely even realize it. It's the big hatcheries (Meyer, McMurray, Metzger, etc.) who really have to worry about the time-line, because each and every chick they lose is lost revenue.

So going back to what Deputy Chicken said, it shouldn't hurt them too much to hold them a few more days to have a full 24 eggs. He might lose one or two, but he'll probably gain a LOT more by holding them an extra three days.

 

[aart]

I have collected fresh laid eggs over the last five days and stored them in the pantry, small ends down. Americauna and Campbell duck eggs.

How long will they remain viable? Want to hold out till I have 24 eggs, which should be in the next few days. Putting the oldest eggs at one week.

Temps in the pantry are around 60-70 degrees, I have no place to store them at 55 degrees

Don't ducks and chicken have different incubation lengths. 28 and 21 days respectively?
Are you going to set the ducks eggs first then add the chicken eggs so they all hatch on about the same day?

 

[Deputy Chicken]

I added both at the same time. Since i couldnt wait a week longer to add the chicken eggs. I have two outside brooders, so two hatchings is doable.

 

[aart]

I added both at the same time. Since i couldnt wait a week longer to add the chicken eggs. I have two outside brooders, so two hatchings is doable.

I was thinking of the need to up the humidity on the last few days before hatch, rather than separate brooders.

 

[Deputy Chicken]

do ducks require higher humidity?

 

[foghornleghorn9]

The last 3 days of incubation require you to raise the humidity for the chickens about 10% or so. Also, the eggs shouldn't be turned during the last 3 days. Good luck.