Incubating Help

[BuChix]

Hi there,

I hatched eggs once about 8-9 years ago, they were shipped eggs from a single source (and they were all roosters so... didn't keep any)

I've decided to try again, but got a little over ambitious. I ordered hatching eggs from 3 difference sources and while they'll all arrive within a few days of each other, I'm worried about messing up the timing with the lockdown at the end.

I've seen that you can store hatching eggs at 55-65 degrees for up to a week before putting them in the incubator. Since I'm already having these eggs shipped from the complete other side of the US, would I be further decreasing my odds of hatching by doing this?

Would I be better off buying either a 2nd incubator or separate hatching unit? If cold-ish storage is totally fine, what is often used to keep the temps at optimal?

Looking forward to any insight!

 

[fire370]

That’s a tough one because shipped eggs really need to sit a day or two before going in the incubator so they can acclimate and settle the air cells. My advice is always going to be a 2nd incubator. Ha. But yes, you can leave eggs sit for awhile before incubating. You may ending up sitting for awhile by the time the 3rd shipment gets there and get acclimated though.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I don't have a ton of experience with shipped eggs. With home-grown hatching eggs, however, the week limit often cited is a major underestimate. Mine are great up until at least thirteen days (I speak from experience with several 100% hatches under broody hens setting on 13+ eggs) and chances of hatch are still pretty good, even at the twenty day mark.

I would wait if you're going to have them for less than a week before popping them into the incubator.

 

[silkie1472]

Hatching eggs from your own chickens can be stored around 2 weeks without dramatically affecting the hatch results (usually). Most of this just depends on genetics and external conditions.

For eggs that are shipped, hatch results/rates are almost already compromised. Eggs traveling from post office to post office are not cared for that well, no matter the packaging or the labeling, so sometimes the eggs are not even viable. When ordering them, just know that they will have to “rest” for a couple days before incubation. The air cell will have to re-settle as they can move to anywhere in the egg in transportation as a result of jarring/poor packaging.

As for storing eggs that were shipped to you, I do not recommend it. You do not really know how old the eggs are in the first place, so storing any longer than the days needed to let the eggs settle, to me, is not desirable.