how long until you should put eggs in the incubator? + more ?'s

[Ma Noob]

I have an opportunity to incubate some eggs. Im not sure if they are fertillised or not, but i have some eggs in the back yard that have been layed in the last two days. I wouldnt be able to get them to the incubator until tomorrow

How long do you have from laying until you should incubate the eggs. if they have been out in the cold overnight are they no good? if i get the warm ones from today will they be ok to go in there tomorrow? And will i be able to tell if they are fertilised?

Sorry for a heap of questions. My girls arnt broody so they are not being sat on, and they dont sleep in the coop at night (they like to sleep on the roof for some strange reason) so they wouldnt have been kept warm over night. Should i bring them in tonight and leave them in the carton?

cheers all for any help!

 

[peepblessed]

You can collect your eggs for at least 10 days if you store them in a fairly cool spot and turn them once or twice a day. Store them with the pointy end down. You should collect them frequently if its hot out. Summer night time temps should be just fine! You can tell if the eggs are fertile by cracking a couple. If they are not fertile you will see a white dot about the size of a pin head in the yolk. If fertile a white ring two or three times that size. Hope you have peeps soon!

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

If you broughy the egg in from yesterday I would say yes. I am pretty sure that you can do the ones from today tomarrow, I hear that people wait a week with the eggs in their frig and they still hatch, so yeah you can probublly do them all. I dont know much about the fertile stuff all I know is that you need a rooster

but I hope you can find a expert!

 

[Ma Noob]

Quote:
Hahaha I figured that much. And that I do have!

 

[Gypsy07]

I have had good hatches with eggs that were over 3 weeks old. A night in the cold won't harm them unless you live somewhere like Alaska or Siberia. You can collect warm ones and chuck them straight in the incubator, yes. Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I generally place eggs in the incubator every 7 days but when some stop laying have gone to 14 days on the oldest eggs. I know breeders that recommend 10 day old eggs as maximum before the hatch rate starts falling. I prefer to have a bunch hatch at once so all chicks are the same age rather than have some 10 days old while others are still hatching out. I have less pecking problems this way.

 

[Ma Noob]

Well I got 10 eggs from the coop yesterday so they have gone into the incubator. We will candle them tomorrow to see if they are any good. Also going to candle the others that are about day 13 which will be cool as well

 

[Ma Noob]

Just thought of another question.

We put the eggs in with some eggs that are about 12 days cooking already, When they get near hatch day, and lock down happens. Can the others still be turned? Or should the whole lot be left until the others have hatched?

 

[Bugg]

Quote:
this is a tricky situation. you run a risk either way. If you open to turn the newer eggs you risk reducing the hatch from the first. If you don't the new eggs may not hatch well. hmmmm

I would turn the new eggs once a day during lockdown. split the risk by only opening / turning once a day. this may sound weird, but if your incubator is in a cold room run a small heater while incubator is open.

good luck, Bugg

 

[wowmanacat]

I had eggs in my incubator from different set dates and I would turn them twice a day during lock down. the trick is to try and be fast at it while being careful at the same time. I had good hatch rate with them all. I hand turn all my eggs it gives me something to do.
Also I had eggs on my counter for 7 to 10 days, before they went into the incubator. I found that candling them at 7, 10, 14, 18 days was good for me, any earlier and I could not see a thing for the shells were to dark.