Incubation Questions

[skullgrrrl]

Question re:hatching eggs. The best temp to store them pre-incubation is 10-15c. I can't find a room in my house that is consistently that temp. Is it better to be a bit high or a bit low?

What causes some chicks to develop and die during incubation/before hatch?

 

[10AcreChick]

Well, I just set 49 eggs in my incubator a week ago. Prior to setting, they were kept in a room that was 60-70F, as I also do not have a room in my house that stays cool. At Day 7 candle, 47 were viable and growing. So I don't know how important storage temperature actually is. Just no major fluctuations, I would say...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

[COLOR=1D2129]Question re:hatching eggs. The best temp to store them pre-incubation is 10-15c. I can't find a room in my house that is consistently that temp. Is it better to be a bit high or a bit low?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=1D2129]What causes some chicks to develop and die during incubation/before hatch?[/COLOR]

Well, I just set 49 eggs in my incubator a week ago. Prior to setting, they were kept in a room that was 60-70F, as I also do not have a room in my house that stays cool. At Day 7 candle, 47 were viable and growing. So I don't know how important storage temperature actually is. Just no major fluctuations, I would say...

Storage temp is important, but I don't think it's as narrow as the guidelines they give you. I try to keep temps under 70. Eggs will have sporadic development over 80 degrees so you definitely don't want that happening, and you don't want them freezing either. There are hatchers that have decent rates with refrigerated eggs, but refrigeration of hatching eggs isn't recommended.
The numbers they give you is the ideal temps. But, success can be found outside the ideal as well. Ideally, a cool moist basement would be good storage. Keep eggs cool and humidity up. I'm afraid the mice would have breakfast though.

 

[skullgrrrl]

I just read this article which suggests storing them at higher temperatures than I had previously read about: http://www.cobb-vantress.com/academ.../04/04/the-importance-of-providing-clean-eggs

10-15c or 50-60f seems cold. If you think about it a hen would lay a clutch of eggs in spring or summer over a period of 10-14 days before incubating them. The temperatures would be higher than that.

 

[DuckMD]

I am new to incubating eggs. How long can the eggs be stored prior to incubating them. Any ideas or thread suggestions would be most welcome TIA

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am new to incubating eggs. How long can the eggs be stored prior to incubating them. Any ideas or thread suggestions would be most welcome TIA

Many hatchers only set eggs a week old or less. The most recommended is 10 days or less and most agree that over 2 weeks viability drops.

 

[lilwildrabbit]

I just had a emergency hatch from eggs over 20 days old and half were from the refridgerator I had a super hatch of 15 from 60 eggs at 25% more than I ever expected my expiration was 0 to maybe 2 max so don't count your chickens till they hatch I'm on fresh eggs now and cooking 25 should be more hatch than before but you can get some hatch from old eggs!!