Refrigerated Eggs?

[Davaroo]

See? What'd I tell ya!?

Go for it!!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I put in a dozen bantam eggs that I had in the fridge (hadn't been planning on incubating them till the last minute). 1 was a dud, 1 quit really early, and the other 10 are on day 15 and going strong!!

 

[Isabella]

Well Cool. I set a Silkie hen with 6 Auracana eggs. I had 4 more in the fridge. Think I'll stick them under another Silkie hen with a few fresh ones and give it a try.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[Maidservant]

I incubated and hatched two dozen duck eggs that had been in the fridge over night as an experiment. Out of those two dozen, we had 3 clear (as opposed to 1 clear from two dozen that were on the counter), and only had 8 hatch. The non-refrigerated ones did great, hatching out 22. The refrigerated ones lived to be two weeks, then all died overnight. I still have one little non-refrigerated one (I sold the rest) at 4 weeks old right now. I won't ever refrigerate hatching eggs again, no matter the species.

Emily in NC

 

[DarkUnicorn]

I just put 5 eggs from the fridge under my 2nd broody.

I was not expecting another broody and got a pleasant suprise... So she has 1 egg fresh from the brahma and 5 of her own eggs out of the fridge under her belly.....

I'll let you know how things go in 3 weeks...

 

[walkswithdog]

I've several living and thriving birds from both refridgerated 42 degrees and near frozen (found in unheated coop at around 34 degrees) eggs.

Science rarely asks nature it's opinion and nature often thumbs it's nose at science.

Chicks or ducks that die two weeks after hatch probably died of MG or coccidia.

While the odds are better if you don't, the odds are roughly the same as well shipped eggs. If it's all ya got, go for it.

I hatched 7/11 chilled, wet, muddy, unturned, filthy turkey eggs. Eggs no scientific or poultry article ever even suggested would hatch. They're now five week olds and thriving, okay and adorable and momma's babies.

If you've got the time and will to defy the odds. Go for it.

 

[Maidservant]

My ducklings did not die of disease. All of the unrefrigerated ducklings were with them, and not one of them died. If refrigeration makes them weaker, I won't do it again. If you're able to not get attatched to your eggs as they're developing or for a few weeks afterward, go for it.

Chickens naturally go broody more in the spring and summer months, when eggs don't have to sit out in the cold. During the winter, I check for eggs three times per day.

 

[Andora]

My first hatch I stuck in a refrigerated egg at the last minute, and it was about 14 days old. It was the only egg that hatched out of the 8 I put in! (They were all tiny pullet eggs, so I think that's why some of them quit developing...) My lone little chick is happy and healthy and growing fast. It came out of a golf ball sized Brahma egg. It was the first egg she ever laid.

 

[McSpin]

I can't resist experimenting, so I did a small test on refrigerated eggs.

I put in a dozen at 33* and another dozen at 39*. They were both kept refrigerated for 5 days. Nothing hatched or developed from the ones at 33*. Nine developed and 6 hatched from the ones at 39*. My normal hatch rate is around 90-95% on 1 week old eggs held at 60*.

My conclusion is that you certainly can hatch some refrigerated eggs, buts it's not the ideal way to go about it.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
And there, as they say, you go...