keeping egss for the incubator..what humidity?

[ronniewayne]

i have my eggs for my first incubator try to begin next week..wed the 31st...i am keeping them in an ice chest in the house with ice water to keep the temp down to 58-60 ...what should the humidity be...right now according to my hydgrometer the humidity is 78% ...which i just got and so dont know how accurate it is...it is one of the ones with 2 thermometers and a vial of water in the middle which wets the wick on one thermometer and you take the difference between the readings. any suggestions would be appreciated...thanks

 

[mstricer]

Quote:

Are these your own eggs that you collected?

 

[cat1994]

Keep in mind that each day that passes causes an egg to lose a % of its fertility so the sooner you set them the better, all I know is to keep them out of all temperature extremes but Idk about exact humidity or temps, just not in direct sunlight or in the fridge. Be sure to alter the eggs from side to side so the embryos don’t stick to the insides of the shells.

 

[cozwurth]

I'm wondering the same thing. After reading all of the horror stories about quarantines and things, I'm very leery about getting any older birds. I want to save a few eggs from my two hens for incubating, but that will take a little while. When I decide to start keeping eggs for incubation, how long can they be kept, and at what temps? Room temp OK?

 

[Arielle]

I've done a bit of reading on this.

After 7 days old the hatching rate declines slowly. So another time given is 10 days. If keeping for no more than 10 days, keep at 50-60 degrees at about RH70%.

If you need to keep longer than 10 days, you get a better hatching percent by keeping the eggs colder , about40-45 degrees. As this is the refrig for many, remember to put in a plastic bag to keep the moisture. Modern refrigerators pull moisture out of everything.

This is the cumulative reading of a number of university and extension bulletins.

My first 2 attempts at incubating have found this to be true; hatched 16/24 eggs at 10 days old stored at 60 degrees; down to 18/34 7-14 days to go for eggs kept at 60 degrees for 20 days. Only the most recent eggs are thriving.

Hope this helps.

 

[ronniewayne]

thanks for the info i will try to get it down to 70% ..they are eggs from my hens i have 7 comets, 1 rir, 1 barred rock, 1 ee, 2 brown leghorn, and i am raising some wheaten ameraucanas they are 5 months not laying but the roosters are breeding the older hens..i am wanting to save 1 weeks worth and set however many that is..so the 7 day rule will apply to the hold time..i have bought an older gqf sportsman and want to try it out on some not so expensive eggs..i have never had an incubator before...though i have had hens hatch chicks..