How long is too long?

[hillbillydan]

I had a hen meet an unfortunate end after she was missing for a few days. We found her dead, in the yard, but she wasn't there the day before. Anyways, we found an egg of hers in the yard that same day. We'd like to try and hatch it, since she was such a sweet baby. So my question is, how long after an egg is laid, is too long to try and hatch it? It is probably 5+ days old. We put it and 5 more under our faithful broody mama yesterday, so we'll see. Also, how long are eggs good for if you don't refridgerate them? We get them out of the coop everyday, but we're running out of room in the fridge.

 

[WalnutHill]

The U.S. is about the only place that refrigerates eggs. They are fine in a cool space in cartons, like a basement if you have one. The old lady down the road from me when I was growing up never had electricity, she kept her milk, butter, and eggs on the cellar stairs.

 

[hillbillydan]

What about eggs you are attempting to hatch? Is it ok to wait a week before setting them under a hen?

 

[KayJay13]

So, the same thing happened to me a month ago. My beloved blue silkie hen was shredded by a nasty fox or something similar. She even laid me a beautiful egg sometime right before she died. I happened to have a dozen of her eggs in my fridge for eating purposes. They had probably been in there for nearly 3-4 weeks as everyone goes for the giant brown eggs over Louise's tiny white silkie eggs. I had washed them, and dipped them in a bleach solution, then put them in the fridge. There they sat for about a month. So I left them in for an additional week or week and a half before putting them in the incubator because I had a hatch I was waiting for to finish. I set them on the counter to come to room temp and then placed them in my small Little Giant Still air with no turner nor fan, after 24 hrs I began hand turning 2-3 times daily. I candled at day 4 and was amazed to find all but four were full of veins and an embryo. Right now, they are currently pipping and zipping!! I am too excited to get some of her babies!! The only thing I did different was add extra humidity for the entire incubation (55%) to make up for the air cells already being large from drying out in the fridge for over a month. I am expecting a nice hatch from them and will update you if you'd like.

So I say, anything is possible and I'd go for it! All odds were against my little Silkie eggs!

And a week is fine to wait. Most people collect for up to or less than a week before incubating eggs. My story was just to assure you that it's always worth trying if you have nothing to lose, but possibly something great to gain.

 

[Teila]

Howdy hillbillydan

I am so sorry to read about your hen

General consensus on successful hatching is no older than 10 days.

Quite a few of us Aussies keep our eating eggs in the fridge also; too hot not to; they could cook on the kitchen bench all by themselves some days

Subscribing because I definitely do want to hear how you go with those eggs KayJay13.

All the odds would have been against those eggs hatching; age of eggs, time in fridge, bleach and not to mention the chance of bacteria growth while the cold egg raised to room temperature and sweated.

 

[KayJay13]

Howdy hillbillydan

I am so sorry to read about your hen 

General consensus on successful hatching is no older than 10 days.

Quite a few of us Aussies keep our eating eggs in the fridge also; too hot not to; they could cook on the kitchen bench all by themselves some days 

Subscribing because I definitely do want to hear how you go with those eggs KayJay13.

All the odds would have been against those eggs hatching; age of eggs, time in fridge, bleach and not to mention the chance of bacteria growth while the cold egg raised to room temperature and sweated.

I currently have pips, a few starting to zip and a lot of chirping and rocking eggs! I'll keep you updated. I am surprised by my luck so fa too. I guess it was meant to be for me to get one of her chicks!

 

[coleson12]

You can wait 7-10 days until you incubate or stick the eggs under a brooding hen. But, I never do it after 7.

 

[hillbillydan]

Well, somehow that egg has gone MIA. We did give 36 eggs to a preschool to hatch in an incubator, hopefully it went with them...

But please keep me posted on your hatching. I'd love to hear how it goes. Where are you from?

 

[KayJay13]

I'll let you know! Still pipping and zipping going on. They started a little early last night and were scheduled to start this morning!

We are from Southern Alabama in a little town called Troy.

 

[KayJay13]

I have 5 chicks and 7 for sure new pips and zips. I can't get a good look at the others. Of them 12 were the refrigerator eggs, 4 never developed and I have 3 chicks, and 3 pips and 2 zips currently of the remaining refrigerator eggs! So far it's been a marvelous turn out!