Shipped eggs early and incubator late

[Chickie_Momma_91]

I had eggs shipped and they arrived 2 days early. My incubator is running 2 days late. My incubator should’ve been here 2 days prior to the eggs. How long can the eggs sit without being in the incubator? How should I handle/store/turn/tilt them while I wait? My other incubator is full and I can’t use it right now. This timing has me worried that my expensive shipped eggs won’t be any good!

 

[Kiki]

The incubator that's full...
If it's full of eggs that are not as expensive you could switch them out with expensive eggs.

A couple days waiting won't make too big of a difference if the eggs were laid fairly recently. Do you happen to know when the shipped eggs were laid?

 

[Chickie_Momma_91]

The incubator that's full...
If it's full of eggs that are not as expensive you could switch them out with expensive eggs.

A couple days waiting won't make too big of a difference if the eggs were laid fairly recently. Do you happen to know when the shipped eggs were laid?

Within a few days of being laid they were shipped. Yea, the eggs in my incubator are my rando mixed flock BUT I think I’ve got a customer wanting me to hatch and another wants a dozen. I can’t throw them out or I won’t be able to take both orders (which I really want to do) so if my shipped eggs can sit for a day or two I’d like to wait.

 

[Ryguy3684]

They can sit for a couple days. I keep them on their sides and rotate them a couple times a day. I put mine in the basement, where it's a little cooler. I have collected eggs for up to 2 weeks and had 100% hatch rates.

 

[NatJ]

I had eggs shipped and they arrived 2 days early.

If they sit at your house for 2 days, that will be better than spending another 2 days in the mail.

 

[Angel07]

They can sit for a couple of days because the hen doesn’t sit on them as soon as she lays it.

 

[Chickie_Momma_91]

Awesome! Thanks y’all! I think I’ll move them to my room where it’s the coolest room in the house and wait the couple days. That way I don’t have to delay someone else’s chicks.

 

[FiestyFeathersFarm]

It will be fine I let my last batch of shipped eggs sit for 48 hours in a cool dark room. It’s recommend to let shipped eggs settle for anywhere from 12-48 hours before incubating anyways.

 

[Chickie_Momma_91]

So I let them settle and checked. I’ve got one with a completely detached air cell. I’ve got 2 with a broken chalazae I believe as the yolk seems to sink. I’ve got 2 saddle air cells. Then 7 perfect eggs. What’s the best way to handle the broken chalazae? The saddle cells? Any hope for the totally detached air cell?

 

[FiestyFeathersFarm]

So I let them settle and checked. I’ve got one with a completely detached air cell. I’ve got 2 with a broken chalazae I believe as the yolk seems to sink. I’ve got 2 saddle air cells. Then 7 perfect eggs. What’s the best way to handle the broken chalazae? The saddle cells? Any hope for the totally detached air cell?

Incubate upright for all and don’t turn for 7 days for the worst ones. I’m not sure what kind of incubator you have but I would incubate upright the whole time. If your incubator doesn’t hold eggs upright I cut up a clean egg carton and use that to hold eggs in position. How far did the eggs travel?