Storing eggs in incubator before incubating?

[rosewellfarm]

Well, here we go! I've got the eggs in the incubator and I'm monitoring the temp. and humidity. I let it run most of today without them in it so it would stabilize, and the humidity still seems high (55-60%) even after taking most of the water out that I had put in. I had run it when I first got it to make sure it worked, and recorded what I did then to get the right humidity (vent half open, with 3 troughs of water), but I guess the ambient humidity has changed and is affecting it.

Anyway, I've recorded the egg breed, day it was gathered and what the conditions/weather was like when it was collected. I settled on not washing with any kind of liquid after googling pics of eggs that were kind of dirty and folks used anyway. I did a few gentle swipes with a dry cloth but otherwise, many still have a bit of mud/gunk on them. My plan is to candle them regularly and as I find the quitters or non-starters, keep records of how dirty (with pictures) and what the conditions were when we collected them. This KY winter has been CRAZY. It was 65 yesterday, sunny, and today we are under another winter storm warning with 3-4 inches of snow and sleet expected.

I'll keep you guys posted in this thread how it all goes and who, if anybody

makes it!

 

[rosewellfarm]

Here's a link to our blog post with pics of our eggs in the incubator (too lazy to upload them twice).

http://www.rosewellfarm.com/1/post/2014/03/locked-and-loaded.html

 

[Beanzie]

What I did was put my egg turner outside my incubator when my other batch was on lockdown. I set the eggs in the coldest room in the house and left them turning. Once my incubator was back I ran the bator and popped them in.

 

[rosewellfarm]

OK, so here's how it's going so far:
http://www.rosewellfarm.com/1/post/2014/03/let-there-be-light-life-graphic-photos.html

I can't tell at all what is going on in most of the EE's or BCM eggs!

 

[Ariel188]

OK, so here's how it's going so far:
http://www.rosewellfarm.com/1/post/2014/03/let-there-be-light-life-graphic-photos.html

I can't tell at all what is going on in most of the EE's or BCM eggs!

Looks like you had a few "cracked" eggs. Have you ever tired crayons or candle wax to seal the crack and see if they develop?

 

[rosewellfarm]

Thanks for the idea, and nope, I hadn't tried that, but really wished I did at least for the EE egg. The one with the blood ring was a goner, and I think the BCM was too. Next time I'll try the candle wax if there's any question. I hate the idea that there was something I could have done to salvage it, but just didn't think of it