need help incubating eggs?

[smokeyodie97]

I just my got first incubator and I am very excited how long can a egg be left alone and then in the incubator?

 

[shelleyd2008]

If I understand your question correctly, eggs can be kept for up to 10 days without too many problems, provided you turn the eggs daily. The easiest way to do that is keep them in egg cartons, and switch the carton from one side to the other every day. You can keep eggs longer than 10 days, but the viability drops after 10 days.

 

[Kedreeva]

Agreed, you can keep them for around 10 days after their lay date before viability begins to decline.

As for incubation, the short answer is they should be in there about 21 days before they start hatching.

The long answer is: Go read everything on this link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=48726 and then if you still have questions, we'll be here for ya

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I didn't answer that part, because the OP didn't state what type of eggs he or she is incubating

Different types of eggs take different lengths of incubation, following is an overview of some common species:

Button quail: 15-16 days
Coturnix quail: 16-18 days
Bobwhite quail: 21-24 days
Ringneck pheasant: 23-25 days

Bantam chickens:19-21 days
Large Fowl chickens: 21 days

Call ducks: 26-28 days
Other (mallard derived) ducks: 28 days
Muscovy ducks: 35 days
Geese: 28-30 days

Turkeys: 28 days
Guineas: 26-28 days

I think that about covers it