Possibly stupid question about collecting eggs to hatch...

[Mhays]

Agree with the above. 10 days is a guideline and the viability starts to fall after 10 days of proper storage. The tilting improves viability, but I only do it half the time and get 75% hatch rates with eggs stored at room temperature.

If you pop the eggs into the incubator, you will have staggered hatches which causes logistic problems depending on your setup.

Keep it simple in my book.

This is what I thought, having raised a late chick...

 

[Mhays]

Try to think of it as keeping it as natural as possible and simulating what is going on in the wild. Hen will lay a clutch of eggs (collect the amount you would like to hatch) then start the incubation process with all your eggs at the same time.

D'oh! I was wondering how this happened, actually! LOL, we have hens that are semi-broody and are planning a short vacation...I was going to have someone collect the eggs but I might just leave them and see what happens!

I just watch our hens sit broodily on their egg - sometimes they push back at collection (never forcefully) but then get bored and wander off. I assumed that was 5,000 years of breeding to be an egglayer for humans, but of course they have broods of chicks!

Do you happen to know if quail hens share egg-sitting naturally? Our hens tend to lay in the same spot, and I've seen them sitting on somebody else's egg after theirs has been collected.

I mean, if I don't have to incubate, that makes everything different! Even if it doesn't happen, it's worth a shot!

Mind. Blown.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

There are rare cases of broody quails. We have one here in the forum.
Also a friend of the breeder friend has a broody quail hen, which also guides her chicks.

It can work, but it is like a lottery, ... but hey... someone always win the jackpot

 

[FloorCandy]

I’m collecting eggs all week for someone, and I put bedding in a cardboard box, I made little hollows with my finger and put them in pointy side down, I have been lifting a different side each day with a dog toy underneath haha.

 

[Mhays]

I’m collecting eggs all week for someone, and I put bedding in a cardboard box, I made little hollows with my finger and put them in pointy side down, I have been lifting a different side each day with a dog toy underneath haha.

View attachment 2256033

Ooh, pretty celadon eggs!

 

[FloorCandy]

Ooh, pretty celadon eggs!

I have some in the incubator, they candled so beautifully I’ll try to post pics tomorrow!