Incubation Questions

[OneLuckeyWife]

We have fertile eggs and I was wondering how to incubate them. They were not shipped. We found 6 today and I cracked checked for fertility. Our hens are not broody and we have no idea how long ago they were laid. We live in Texas and it’s been about 75 degrees outside, except at night it gets around 50 degrees. The chickens sleep on the porch and the eggs were laid in a tree (not up in the tree; the tree has a little spot big enough for just one chicken to nestle in).

1. Do I let them rest?
2. How long before should I wait to put them in the incubator?
3. We have RIR and Light Brahmas. If they hatch how will I know if the chicks are a mix or Brahma or RIR? Probably, won’t know right?
4. The RIR hen lays her eggs by the A/C unit. We haven’t gotten an egg from her in awhile because the dog is a thief. Is there a chance she would have started laying in the tree or is it more likely a different hen’s eggs?

 

[Pyxis]

No need to let them rest since they aren't shipped. You want to put them in the incubator at or before ten days old - any older and they start to lose viability. So if you want you can save up ten days' worth of eggs and put them in at that point. Make sure you put all your eggs in at once, no stagger hatching.

 

[OneLuckeyWife]

No need to let them rest since they aren't shipped. You want to put them in the incubator at or before ten days old - any older and they start to lose viability. So if you want you can save up ten days' worth of eggs and put them in at that point. Make sure you put all your eggs in at once, no stagger hatching.

Thank you! I will still need to turn them though right? Just like with shipped eggs?

 

[Pyxis]

Yes, turning them while storing them is good Or did you mean during incubation? They'll also need to be turning during incubation.