how long can you hold eggs before setting? (in the postal system)

[hoppy]

I have eggs being shipped that were mailed 3/31. today is saturday and the mail has been delivered with no eggs.

so they will sit over the weekend somewhere and be left probably on the doorstep outside on monday. this will have them laid for at least 7 days (maybe more). so my question is this- what is the longest that you've held eggs that have actually hatched +/- the post office helping.

 

[Snakeoil]

After seven days your hatch rate declines, but you have no choice at this point so I would go through with the incubation period and hope for the best.

 

[CityChicker]

It depends on so many other factors, including the temperature. I recall reading that Holderreads did a study on waterfowl eggs and hatchability began to decline at 7-10 days and continued to do so for up to a month. By the time the eggs got to a month old, the hatch rate was all the way down to like 50%.

In their study though, it seems like the temperature made a big difference too if I am remembering correctly. As long as they don't freeze or get too hot, I think you will be fine with them being a week or so old.

 

[tingle]

I bought 2 dozen silver wyandotte eggs at auction and when I went to collect there were 4 dozen in the lot,I set 30 and waited for the hatch then set the other 18 I thought rather than waste them I had nothing to loose,by now I had had the eggs for over 3 weeks and I am assuming that some of them were a few days old when I bought them.I candles the eggs a couple of days ago and 14 of the 18 are showing fertile.

 

[hoppy]

Quote:
that's amazing. I guess I can't give up hope yet (not unless they dont' arrive at all- then I'll be on here begging for new marans eggs.)

 

[shortcake1806]

I'm doing an experiment now with some eggs that were mailed March 19th and arrived today. I'm going to put them in the bator just to see what happens.

I read in Backyard Poultry that eggs up to 2 months old have been successfully incubated.

 

[hoppy]

Quote:
that's crazy- 2 months old

, I can only hope!

 

[tingle]

please let us know how you get on with the hatch

 

[shortcake1806]

Will do. I marked them all so I'd know exaclty how many of them hatched.