Problem with incubating eggs

[kandooshe]

I have a hen which is about to be broody , I want to put some eggs under her , how long does an egg remain valid for incubating ( because I want to store some eggs for several days ) , and what are the appropriate conditions at which we can keep eggs valid for incubating ...

thanx all

 

[tay_boe]

How can you tell she is about to go broody?

 

[kandooshe]

Quote:
She keeps sitting on eggs all day

 

[andalusn]

Is she going to be setting on her own eggs? When my hen went broody she created her own hidden stock pile of eggs in my hay and then went into hiding to hatch them. There were 16 live peeps when she brought them out for viewing. I have no idea how many eggs she started with but to hatch that number she had to be working on her nest for at least two weeks. I saw her daily with the main flock and she slept in the hen house while taking on this project.

When I collected eggs for my incubator I just put the ones I wanted to hatch in an egg carton daily, I wanted a dozen by weeks end and I turned them each day until setting them. There were 11 in the incubator and 9 hatched. One egg cup is given up to my "ego-meter" reader so two were duds. I kept the carton of eggs in my garage which was cool but not cold nor too hot during the day. This was done in late Spring of last year.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Quote:
According to Gail Damerow in Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, "You can store eggs for up to 6 days without noticing a significant difference in hatchability. For each day thereafter, hatchability will suffer by approximately 1 percent." She also states that the best storage temp for eggs (for incubation purposes) is 55 degrees, out of sunlight in a cool, dry place. Store in an egg carton with the large end of the egg up.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Again . . . don't know what's up with the triple post.

 

[thechickonthehill]

Sorry, double post.

 

[kandooshe]

Quote:
No, I collect eggs daily and store them in order to put them under her, and the question is what is the period for which eggs are still valid for incubating ??
your story is nice

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
No, I collect eggs daily and store them in order to put them under her, and the question is what is the period for which eggs are still valid for incubating ??
your story is nice

I've stored eggs here at home for upto 3 weeks and still had them hatch in an incubator. 12 to 16 eggs are about the limit to put under a broody hen. So 12 to 16 eggs will be what you want to collect. Just store the eggs somewhere cool ( I use my laundry room as it's always on the cool side) in an egg carton, big end up and tilt the carton on each end acouple times a day to keep the fertile disc from sticking to one side of the egg. I tilt mine by placing a book on one end and 6 or 7 hours later the other end. Keep the lid of the carton open so they will have fresh air.

You can give her dummy eggs til your ready to place the amount you want under her. Date or mark the eggs so you will know those are the ones you have placed under her. A true broody hen will want to sit on the nest day and night.