That Quail Place Forum
Raising Gamebirds => Incubation => Topic started by: marvinmckenzie on May 09, 2008, 05:14:06 PM
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I have just made my first order for quail eggs by mail.
How long will they be good before I have to either get them in the incubator or put them in the fridge for omelettes?
What is the best way/temperature for me to store them if I have to wait a couple of days before incubating them?
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Let them sit overnite and put them in the incubator the next day
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c53
It's best to incubate within the first 7 days or less after they have been laid. If you ordered from a reputable dealer, the eggs should have been sent within 2 days of lay, maybe sooner. You can usually push this to 14 days but you should also turn the eggs 2 to 4 times a day. You will probably lose some hatchability after 7 days. You can turn the eggs by tilting the egg trays that they came in on a 45 degree angle to one side and then the other on the next turn. If you are not using the egg turner (assuming you have one) in your incubator, you could just put them in the turner until you are ready to incubate. Mail order eggs (as with newly laid eggs) should be unpacked and allowed to sit (and rest) for 8 to 24 hours before placing in the incubator. If you have the ability to control the temperature where the eggs are stored, keep it at about 55 degrees. I don't have this ability so mine just sit in my house at normal room temperature. I have never seemed to have a problem with hatchability because of this. Hope this helps. Good luck.
David
p33