need help...when to start hatch

[juliachick]

Ok so we have 7 eggs someone gave us to put in our incubator. I think they were layed yesterday maybe the day before. My husband is going to a chicken show on Sat am and if anyone has any silkie or buff orphington eggs for sale he is thinking he would buy them if we held off on putting these eggs in. Thing is I really don't want to reduce the hatch rate of these eggs since my daughter REALLY wants these (jersey giants). SO should I wait and see what the show has or start these eggs today? I guess it wouldn't be ideal to start these today and then add some on Saturday?

 

[Chicky Tocks]

If you're going to put in more eggs this weekend, you'll probably do good to hold off putting what you have in the bator. A hen will lay eggs until she has laid what she feels she can hatch before sitting on them. You'll do fine if you get them in the bator before they're 6 or 7 days old.
You've only got 3 days left til Saturday.

 

[juliachick]

I don't know where to keep them because we live in a ranch w/no basement and the temp in here is about 68 degrees. The fridge is too cold and outside is too cold. Where is good that will keep them at the recomended 55 degrees?

 

[newdock]

How about a spare bedroom with the window cracked open?

I have just kept them at room temp on the counter and they made out fine. If you think about it, chickens originated in tropical climates....their eggs were laid in a nest outside over the span of days and they made out just fine in the tropical climate.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Just leave them on your kitchen cabinet pointed end down in an egg carton.

ETA: With a DO NOT EAT THESE EGGS sticky on them.

 

[Mahonri]

I kept mine in a closet in egg cartons, pointy end down. And I tilted the cartons back and forth 3 or 4 times a day.

(These were eggs shipped from South Carolina and on day 8, 16 of 16 candled well!)

 

[juliachick]

LOL! I will put a sticky on them

Ok I'll just let them be at room temp. We don't have a spare room...too many kids

I don't think I can talk DH into sleeping at 55 degrees for my chickens...he already thinks I'm nuts. I started out saying yes to my daughter for a few chickens and now can't help myself. I keep getting a few more. We have 15 and 6 look they will turn out to be roos so I'm hoping for more hens!