Storing eggs for incubation

[Tommy12241]

Hi I`m looking to start a small hatchery program. My incubator holds 46 chicken eggs. But I do not get that many eggs that quick and it would be wasting money to not fill it up. So what is the recommended storage temperatures and stuff I should know. Such as how long they can be stored. Also could you store them in a fridge? Or would it be to cold.

 

[mnferalkitty]

I store mine right on the kitchen counter top, and I think 10 days max is a good to keep eggs before incubation. You have to turn them when you store them. So what I do is put them in an egg carton and place something under one end of the carton so it is tilted then at night I place the object that is helping tilt the egg carton to the other end of the carton, then in morning repeat.

 

[TaylorHobbyFarms]

We use the tilted egg carton like mnferalkitty, but we store them in a wine cooler. It maintains 55 to 60 degrees and we are able to keep eggs that we hatch ourselves for 14 days without losing fertility. However, before placing in the incubator, you will want to set them about for a few hours and bring them slowly to room temperature.

 

[Tommy12241]

Awesome. Thanks!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

At this time of year here in Florida unless you are keeping your house air conditioning in the seventy two degree range I'd put them in the refrigerator. If you have an area that stays warmer in your ice box that's the place for your hatching eggs, but any place that stays above freezing and is not given to wide temperature swings will do.

IDEALLY you'd keep the eggs between 55-65 degrees at about 75% humidity. But where in the Southeast are you going to find such temperatures if you don't have a cool basement? I keep mine in the fridge and usually always get better than a 90% hatch on my chicken eggs. Try to keep them under ten days of age if you can. If you'll be storing them over a week then turning them once a day will help.

 

[Tommy12241]

Awesome. Thanks a lot.

 

[PrairieRidge]

I let mine on the kitchen counter before I saw all the threads saying to store in a cool place. I didn't warm them up before setting them. Do you warm yours. I am worried now that I messed up and won't have many hatch. I was curious what you success was.

 

[ChucktheChick]

I let mine on the kitchen counter before I saw all the threads saying to store in a cool place. I didn't warm them up before setting them. Do you warm yours. I am worried now that I messed up and won't have many hatch. I was curious what you success was.

I do that too

 

[PrairieRidge]

I guess at least it is winter and not summer. Everything looks good this morning, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Pam Dahle]

Thanks for the instructions for storing chickem eggs before incubating. I used to hatch eggs a lot but have not tried for several years and could not remember the most appropriate way to store them. I just got my incubator out of storage and plan on hatching some of my chickens eggs for a neighbor who wants chickens. We live in Idaho and it is still only in the 40's here so keeping them at 55 to 60 tmep should not be a problem. Thanks again! - Pam