How much does age affect hatching egg?

[cochins1088]

I know you aren't supposed to use eggs older than a week, and I have never tried anything older than a week in the past. I recently ordered some hatching eggs from these gorgeous silver laced cochins. But because of weather conditions, she said many of her hens went broody, so it took her longer to fill my request of 12 + eggs, on top of that they were shipped on Friday and it's Labor day weekend, so they will have been sitting at the post office all day Sunday and Monday. Hopefully they will arrive Tuesday, but they could arrive Wednesday as well. I also read in many places that I should let them settle for 24 hours before putting them in the incubator. So I'm wondering my chances, Should I wait the 24 hours? That would definately put them over 8 days old. Will that 24 hours make that big of a difference in my hatch rate?

 

[bird boy]

We have hatched eggs that were up to two weeks old. It depends on the conditions of which they were stored. My biggest concern here is the temperature they were stored at in the post office. They may still be fine. It is worth trying for sure.

 

[cochins1088]

Yes, I was dissapionted when she said she shipped them Friday. Many seller don't ship that late in the week in the case they would sit all day Sunday, much less Sunday and Monday. I guess I can just pray for the best... It's 90 degrees here at the moment, I really hope they ended up sitting in a air conditioned building, and not a vehicle. The tempatures just had to rise this weekend... This is my first time ordering shipped eggs, and I was alredy nervous about my hatch rate, this will only lower it, it's starting to look like wasted money, but I really like these birds.