Egg storage

[tfletch]

This is the first time trying to hatch eggs.  I purchased the Little Giant 10200 and GQF brooder. I got my incubator setup and I ordered 100 bobwhite eggs and received them about a week later. I put all my eggs into my Little Giant incubator and turner.  Well it is day 12 and I recieved 100 more eggs. I dont have the capacity for the eggs but one of my farmer friends has an old incubator. But it will take several days in order to get it properly set up. How long and how should I store the eggs?  They were shipped 3 days ago.  Some places say incubate them for 12 hours and then you can wait several days or more to start the incubation process. I dont think that my friends incubator has a turner so I will have to do that by hand.  But if I could wait 8 days I could use the turner I already have as well. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[ridgetop]

I WOULD SAY GET THEM IN THERE AS QUICK AS YOU CAN.YOU MAY HAVE TO TURN THEM BU HAND,BUT ONCE YOU GET THE TURNER BACK JUST TRANSFER THE EGGS INTO THERE.EACH DAY THAT GOES BY THEY ARE NOT IN THE BATOR REDUSES HATCH..I THINK ANYWAYS!

[RedOakGamebirds]

This is where a spare incubator comes in handy as a hatcher.  You want to get them incubated as soon as possible because hatchability drops after awhile.  As far as incubating them for 12 hours then storing them, that is definately a NO.  If you dont have the capacity right now to incubate them I'd store them at 50-55 degrees until you can.  Even if it takes 10-12 days.  Your hatch may be somewhat less but its much better than leaving them out at room temperature until your ready for them.


Larry