keeping eggs refridgerated

[trunkman]

My 2 hens just started laying eggs, I found 4 eggs in their run today!

My main goal is to hatch poults and don't want to incubate just 4 or 6 eggs at a time so I'd like to know how long can you keep eggs in the fridge before you incubate them, what is a good time frame?

 

[goldiethehen]

Ok - If you don't have a rooster, they aren't fertilized, therefore, they won't hatch. I'm guessing you know that, just wanted to clarify. Definitely don't put them in the fridge, I'm pretty sure that's too cold. This post explained better. It's saying only store for 3 days, or hatch rate dramatically decreases, also store at 65 degrees, sometimes a little colder. A few other tips including turning, etc, are in the post.
Hope this helped. It's so exciting when the hens start laying!!! Good luck. Hatching is so fun!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/662140/what-temp-do-you-keep-eggs-at-before-incubation

 

[trunkman]

Goldie, I'm assuming your thinking chicken eggs, although I'm sure turkey eggs are about the same. Thanks for the info.

 

[goldiethehen]

Oops!! I guess I just assumed your saying "poults" was a mistake, obviously I know nothing about turkeys! Sorry about that.

 

[kuntrygirl]

My 2 hens just started laying eggs, I found 4 eggs in their run today! e My main goal is to hatch poults and don't want to incubate just 4 or 6 eggs at a time so I'd like to know how long can you keep eggs in the fridge before you incubate them, what is a good time frame?

Hey. I'm looking for my post on my hatched refrigerated turkey eggs. As soon as I find it, I will post it for you. Give me a sec. I just saw your post.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Ok, so I found my posts about my experiment about hatching refrigerated turkey eggs. They were stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Post # 105
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/725829/turkeys-for-2013/100

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/725829/turkeys-for-2013/1890#post_11075319

Update on the turkey eggs in the incubator................

For those who are new to the thread or who may have forgotten about my little experiment, I have 10 turkey eggs in the incubator. 6 of those 10 were eggs that had been in my refrigerator for about 2 weeks. I decided to take them out of the refrigerator and place them in the incubator along with 4 other fresh turkeys eggs that were picked one day. Yesterday was the scheduled hatch day but the eggs started rocking, pipping, zipping and hatching on Monday (1 day early). The first eggs to hatch were the fresh eggs that were NOT in the refrigerator. However the refrigerated eggs were rocking and zipping. Tuesday morning, 1 more poult (fresh egg batch) had hatched. Tuesday evening, (7PM) the other 2 (fresh eggs - NOT the refrigerated eggs) all hatched. Around 8:00PM the first refrigerated egg was zipping open. I could see the poult's beak and he was trying to break out. At 10:00 PM the refrigerated egg/poult had hatched all the way and was 100% fine. Perfect hatch from the 1st refrigerated egg. So that made a total of 5 eggs that had hatched at that time. I couldn't see every refrigerated egg because the babies were all over the place. But the remaining refrigerated eggs that I could see appeared to be zipping still. I could see their beaks trying to break out.


When I left out for work this morning, there were still only 5 poults that had hatched. So, I still have 5 remaining refrigerated eggs in the incubator. When I get home and if the zipped eggs/poults have not hatched, I will help them out of their eggs. I have to take the hatched poults out and transfer them to their brooder. So either way, something has to be done about the zipped eggs.


So that is the update that I have so far on my experiment with hatching turkey eggs that had sat in my refrigerator for 2 weeks. Refrigerated turkey eggs DOhatch! wink.png

Post # 16084
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/160883/louisiana-la-yers-peeps/16080


Pic of some of the poults from the refrigerated eggs.

 

[trunkman]

Thank you kuntrygirl, I have the eggs on a shelf in the basement for now, it's about 50 degrees down there so I may keep them there till I have a dozen or so to hatch. Again, thanks for finding your post for me!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Thank you kuntrygirl, I have the eggs on a shelf in the basement for now, it's about 50 degrees down there so I may keep them there till I have a dozen or so to hatch. Again, thanks for finding your post for me!

You are very welcome. Don't hesitate to PM me if you need something. I hope that you have a very productive year with the turkeys. Looking forward to hear about your turkey stories.

 

[Oakridgefarms]

I keep my turkey eggs (all eggs) in a wine cooler set at 57 degrees and place a set once a week. You can store eggs between 55- 60 degrees for up to 10 days and still be viable. After 10 days your hatching rate will drop. hope that helps
David

 

[trunkman]

Thanks Oakridgefarms, I like getting lots of different opinions and ways people do things, it gives me many avenues to try.