Should I cover the eggs?

[texaschickmom]

I am collecting eggs to set in my incubator and wondered if they should be covered at all? Right now I only have one and it's in an opened egg carton on a counter in my guest bathroom. And how important is the humidity and temp in the room I'm storing them in?
Martha

 

[Baralak]

Give this a read.. It is full of good material..

http://www.poultry.msstate.edu/extension/pdf/incubation.pdf

 

[texaschickmom]

Thanks, Baralak, for your help. Lots of good info in that pdf.
Martha

 

[debilorrah]

After completely freakin out over my first three hatches, I learned that I needed to calm down and let nature take it's course. I collect and place them large side up in an egg carton on the counter, and set them after 7 days. I know people say 10 days is ok, but I don't like to tempt fate. I have heard that you should turn them while they rest on the counter but I don't and my hatches have not suffered from it.

I think it is a pretty much "to each their own" with this one.

 

[deerman]

Room temp and humidity , can help so you can store eggs longer, no need to cover. After 10 days hatch rate will drop , but not much untill after 14 days. Reason to turn eggs that you are storing same reason you turn them in the incubator. The hen turns them every time she goes to lay another egg in the nest. I set eggs weekly cause its lot easier knowing the chicks will be hatching same day each week.


Can you hatch chicks ,without doing this yes, but best hatch rate if eggs are stored proper. I have seen eggs that have been store and incubated without ever turning then, and the guy still hatch some, he didn't know. He does now with alot better hatch.

 

[Judy]

They'll be fine where they are. Sometimes people are successful in hatching an egg that has been refrigerated, but generally they are kept on a kitchen counter. Might be good to turn them -- just prop one end of the carton up maybe 1", then change which end is propped up once or twice a day.