Questions- Moving with eggs

[ARK2016]

Hello,
I've got several questions about incubation and hatching but first a little backstory-

We are going to be moving in 12 days (big move 900 miles).
We are carting all our livestock up with us, but had located a local flock of chickens that we were going to pick up once we'd arrived. Our flock was decimated by coyotes and I cannot find any other local flocks to purchase.

SO now we need to cart up some chickens. I can find them locally however I don't have any more room in my livestock trailer.
Which left me with eggs.
I've purchased 3 dozen fertile eggs that I'll be picking up 8 days prior to moving.

I've got standing incubator to use until the move and I think I can keep temperatures up with insulation (probably shavings) and hot water bottles packed into a styrofoam cooler to transport during the move.

So my questions
1. What temps can the eggs safely drop too that will only delay hatching and not terminate?

2. Which position would it be best to keep eggs in during transport for minimal movement?

3. I was thinking of transporting them in egg cartons.. Sufficient? Better ideas?

4. Humidity for transport- drawing a blank. Ideas?

This is completely not ideal but the only solution we've come up with to our chicken situation. I can't risk not finding a flock once we've moved as at that point I won't be able to get more until next spring.

Thanks for all info/ideas!

 

[RubyNala97]

How long will the drive be? Anyway to hold on to the eggs and set them once you move? I had to move eggs once during a power outage. I wrapped them in tissues and put them in an egg carton, pointy end down. I would practice with the hot water bottles (I've found when moving chicks that glass bottles hold heat much longer then plastic) first to see how long and what temps are maintained. Also they sell those hand warmers. It's like $1 for 2. You could try those but be careful they get very hot, so I wouldn't let them have direct contact with the eggs. Does your incubator come up to temp quickly? I'm just thinking about once you reach your destination how fast your incubator will be ready to go. I hate moving! I've moved so many times in the past and it's so stressful...I can't imagine dealing with viable eggs while trying to do it!! You're brave! I wish you the best of luck!!

 

[ARK2016]

It's a long drive- 18 hrs straight through. We're driving straight through but with a uhaul, livestock trailer, dogs and a 4 month old so I'm guessing we'll be lucky to do it in 22-24 hrs.

I do have some hand warmers I was going to use as backup. I was planning on putting the heat source at the bottom of the cooler, covered with shavings, then the eggs.

With the pointy side down how would I turn them appropriately?
Are they okay not being turned for that long of a period?

 

[UKPakJungleFowl]

You could try and purchase a small incubator that draws low power and supply electricity to it via the cigarette lighter on your vehicle. I think you can get adaptors that will allow you to do this. However all this depends on how many eggs you have e.g. this method would probably only work for a relatively small amount of eggs.

 

[RubyNala97]

It's a long drive- 18 hrs straight through. We're driving straight through but with a uhaul, livestock trailer, dogs and a 4 month old so I'm guessing we'll be lucky to do it in 22-24 hrs.

I do have some hand warmers I was going to use as backup. I was planning on putting the heat source at the bottom of the cooler, covered with shavings, then the eggs.

With the pointy side down how would I turn them appropriately?
Are they okay not being turned for that long of a period?

Please don't take this the wrong way but as coming from a mom that had two little ones, 2 cats and a dozen house plants in a car that moved from Florida to NY, I think you should hold on to them and set them once you get there. They will only be around 10 days old and I think your chances of having a successful hatch would be greater then incubating for a week, packing them, and traveling with unstable temps. That's going to be a lot on the developing embryo in the early stages. I'm not saying it's impossible but I think it would be easier on you and the eggs. Probably not what you want to hear but something to consider.

 

[ARK2016]

Actually that cuts down on a lot of stress.
You think they'd still be viable to incubate after all of that time?
Should I still turn them?
How would I store them? Egg cartons?
Temperatures for storing until incubation?

 

[UKPakJungleFowl]

Did you find a solution?