This may be a silly questin, but....

[krista74]

Is it true that you can take fertilised eggs from your refrigerator and put them under a broody to hatch?

If so, I might be able to give my girl a couple more eggs.

How many eggs are ideal for her? She is a RIR.

Thank in advance!

- Krista

 

[The Chickeneer]

Very interesting question. For the eggs to hatch, they must be fertile. Typically, stores don't sell fertile hatching eggs in the fridge isle. Also, refrigerating eggs severely diminishes the probability of them hatching. You also don't know how old the store eggs are.

In a perfect world, the eggs should be fertile, stored pointy end town and turned everyday in place that is around 70-80 degrees and be stored for a maximum of ten days before incubation.

But I do remember a few years back I did a little experiment of my own. I went to a store called Trader Joe's, which is a health food grocery store, and found fertile eggs in the fridge isle. I grabbed the dozen that was all the way in the back, because it was the freshest. Out of the dozen eggs, 2 chicks hatched! So yes, it is possible to hatch store eggs, but they must for sure be absolutely fertile to even have a chance.

Oh, and ten eggs is a good clutch size for the average hen, never give her more than 14.

Hope this helped. Good luck!

 

[MeepBeep]

Hatching percentages won't be great, but it can be done...

There is an entire thread on here somewhere where people are hatching Trader Joe's (and other grocery store) fertilized eggs...

 

[krista74]

Interesting! I guess I was just asking out of curiosity more than for any other reason.

I do have a broody hen at the moment and today put 8 of our own eggs under her.

Perhaps I'll just check for eggs tomorrow and offer her an extra 2 if they are available, to bring her clutch up to 10.

Thanks for the info!

Krista