# Eggs



## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Plan in having some hatching wggs shipped I me, however I was curious just how long an egg can be in the fridge before they go into incubation. I have a few eggs that are about a week old, would they possibly hatch out?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Storing them in the fridge can be dicey if its just a bit too cold. 

That said, I screwed up once and sent an old egg with a batch I was shipping. It was probably three weeks old. I notified the person I sold the eggs to, she set it any way and it hatched. Those were eggs stored in a cooler with an ice pack in it.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Kinda what I figured. My fridge is cold as well, so.. Not likely a good option. If only my hens would lay an egg for me.. Too bad they are not laying due to the lack of light. 
Though it has been warm mid day, maybe that will inspire an egg to be laid


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

I wouldn't think you would be able to hatch eggs that are refrigerated. It is very cold here below thirty but I collect my eggs a few times a day and put them on my kitchen counter. When I collect enough I put them in the incubator.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You can hatch from the fridge but as I mentioned if its a bit too cold it can kill any chance of hatching.

There was a woman that hatched eggs she bought from her local market. It was a small Mom & Pop affair, they bought their eggs from local producers. This woman, on a whim, decided to toss some in her incubator and they hatched. The eggs had been in the store's cooler and in her own fridge before she decided to give it a try.

So, it can be done. I have stored eggs for two weeks at room temp and had them hatch. I've let them lay in the coop during the hot summer months and had them begin to self incubate. So, there really is no one single good answer. If the conditions are right, they will still hatch.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Is there a way to test the eggs? Obviously cracks or damaged eggs are out.. Any other things to look for.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Cleaner is better but then I've seen some pretty nasty eggs hatch under a broody. If they're shipped you need to establish whether or not the air cells are intact. Eggs that are not an even color are harder to hatch since those lighter areas indicate that the shell is thinner in those spots. Weeping. If an egg does not feel right chances are its weeping which indicates an egg that had begun to develop and the embryo died. Smell, if the egg has an odor the same applies. And embryo began to develop and died.


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